The £250m deal will see the contractors electrify the main line between Scotland’s two biggest cities, complete route clearance works at Winchburgh Tunnel, rail infrastructure works at Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley stations and extend platforms at Croy, Falkirk High, Polmont and Linlithgow.
The Scottish government is investing £742m in the EGIP project to deliver a rolling programme of electrification across the central belt. Network Rail will complete the main Edinburgh-Glasgow electrification works in 2016 and this phase of the programme will be complemented by the construction of the new Edinburgh Gateway Interchange station at Gogar and the subsequent redevelopment of Glasgow Queen Street station.
Piling works, to create the foundations needed to erect the overhead power lines, began this week and will be completed by the summer of 2015.
Transport minister Keith Brown said: “This £250m contract marks a significant milestone in the EGIP project, which will provide 20% quicker journey times, 30% more capacity and a complete overhaul of stations in both cities, with the new-look Haymarket station already completed on time and under budget and the planned transformation of Queen Street station into a 21st century transport hub.”
Network Rail programme director Rodger Querns added: “EGIP is a unique chance to modernise and enhance our railway and transform rail services across the central belt. It is transformational in its scope and scale and will herald a step-change in the nature of our railway infrastructure, its resilience and reliability.
“The alliancing structure being used to deliver the electrification works will allow us to increase efficiency within the programme and deliver best value for money for the government and taxpayer.”
The work now getting underway follows on from the £80m electrification of the Cumbernauld line and the £25m redevelopment of Edinburgh’s Haymarket station, both completed earlier this year.
Morgan Sindall Group chief executive John Morgan said: “Our appointment to the alliance is a key development for Morgan Sindall and continues our successful working relationship with Network Rail.”
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