Connect Plus appointed provisional preferred bidder For M25 PPP contract

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Connect Plus appointed provisional preferred bidder For M25 PPP contract

08 May 2008

The Highways Agency has today announced that, following a detailed tender process, Connect Plus, a consortium comprising Balfour Beatty (40%), Skanska (40%), Atkins (10%) and Egis Projects SA (10%), has been appointed provisional preferred bidder for the PPP contract to widen and maintain the M25. The award of contract is anticipated later this year. The programme will focus on adding capacity to 63 miles of the M25 and maintenance of one of the UK’s busiest and most important roads.

Commenting on the award today, David James, Chairman of Connect Plus, said:

“We are delighted to have been appointed provisional preferred bidder for this important development project. We know because of our collective strengths in management and operational expertise, as well as our track record in delivering similar projects in the UK and internationally, that we are well placed to move forward on this project.”

ENDS

Enquiries to:
Marjorie Hooper
Tel: 020 7216 6883

Notes to Editors

Balfour Beatty is an international engineering, construction, services and investment group with leading positions in the markets for building, construction and management, civil and specialist engineering, rail infrastructure and infrastructure investment. It is a UK leader in road building and widening schemes and a leading road manager and maintainer. It is also a leader in the UK PPP market with 26 concessions in transport, healthcare, education and other infrastructure markets.
Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction groups with expertise in construction, development of commercial and residential projects and public-private partnerships.

Skanska’s recent experience in UK road schemes includes the M1 Junctions 6a-10 widening scheme in joint venture with Balfour Beatty, the Temple Sowerby Bypass project and the A2 design and build contract for the Highways Agency in Kent. It is a leader in the UK and international PPP healthcare, transport and education markets and has delivered the Autopista Central (Chile), A1 (Poland), Nelostie (Finland), E18 (Finland) and E38 (Norway) highway PPPs.

Atkins is a multinational engineering and design consultancy, providing expertise to help resolve complex challenges presented by the built and natural environment. Atkins is the largest multidisciplinary consultancy in Europe, the largest engineering consultancy in the UK and the world’s fifth largest design firm.

Atkins, in consortium with Balfour Beatty, has already successfully delivered three DBFO projects for the Highways Agency: A50 Stoke-Derby link; A30/A35 Bere Regis to Exeter; M77/GSO, Scotland. Atkins was recently appointed managing agent contractor (MAC) on the motorways and trunk roads throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. The company is carrying out the design on the M1 Junctions 6a-10 widening contract for the Balfour Beatty Skanska joint venture and for Balfour Beatty’s M74 completion project in Glasgow.

Egis is an international engineering and services business providing infrastructure and systems engineering; is involved as developer in setting up public-private partnerships or concession projects and operating road and airport infrastructure facilities.

Egis is currently operating more than 800 km of motorways worldwide, including the Athens Ring Road with specific traffic management measures during the 2004 Olympics. It has become a leader in privately operated urban tunnels though its participation in the 4 kilometre M5 East tunnel in Sydney, Australia; the Dublin Port Tunnel (the largest urban tunnel in Europe) and the Melbourne City Link tunnel in Australia.