The JV is one of five teams shortlisted for the upgrade of London Bridge Station

A joint venture between Mace and contractor Laing O’Rourke is one of five teams to be shortlisted for the prestigious £800m upgrade of London Bridge Station, for the final stage of the multi-billion pound Thameslink project.

Separate sources close to the bidding teams confirmed that the Mace/Laing O’Rourke joint venture, which continues the relationship developed by the firms working within CLM at the Olympics, has been shortlisted alongside four others.

The other bidders are Balfour Beatty, Skanska, Carillion and Costain, Building understands. Second-stage tenders are due within the next few weeks, with Network Rail looking to start construction in 2013.

The project is the largest of the £6bn of key projects being run by its major projects division. This division is to be run as an increasingly separate business within Network Rail, and will be asked to compete to run projects in future.

The London Bridge scheme will see the station expanded to allow two thirds more passengers than current capacity, giving step-free access and a new concourse at street level. The number of tracks going through the station will be increased from six to nine.