Atkins, Laing and VolkerRail bag £250m rail job

Atkins, Laing O’Rourke and VolkerRail have won a £250m package of works for Network Rail to improve the network around Stafford.

Network Rail said the firms had won a “unique” tender where interested parties had been asked to submit their bids as pre-formed alliances.

The contract will be structured as one “unified agreement”, dubbed a ‘pure constructino alliance’, where all parties will share the benefits and risks, which is based on a model used in Australia.

The alliance will be responsible for trackworks, civils, signalling, telecommunications, highways alterations and pipeline diversions.

Network Rail chief executive David Higgins said: “This type of truly collaborative approach is the natural way forward for contracting within Network Rail and indeed the wider rail industry.

“By adopting a common focus and shared approach with our industry partners, this will ultimately help to drive down costs, reduce risk and lead to the more efficient and timely delivery of major projects such as Stafford.”