Race starts for £55m Paddington Crossrail tunnel job

London Underground is seeking a contractor to design and build a £55m link between its new Crossrail platforms and the platforms of the Bakerloo line at Paddington station.

The 100 metre passenger tunnel is required to enable the increased volume of passengers from Crossrail to change lines at the station.

The design of the tunnel has already progressed to RIBA stage E but London Underground said it was seeking entrants that would “bring innovative ideas forward” and deliver “significant cost reduction, risk elimination and programme optimisation”.

It also said it wanted the winning contractor or consortia to mitigate risk, ensure the project was delivery economically and find further benefits.

It added: “This high profile project is to be carried out at one of the busiest stations on the network, in the vicinity of busy roads and through routes for traffic and significant heritage properties, whilst minimising disruption as far as practicable to passengers and neighbours.”

The job will last for about four years. Contractors wanted to participate must respond to London Underground by 25 November.