Network Rail has put out an invitation for contractors to bid for work on a construction project to upgrade London Waterloo Station, worth up to £400M.
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (NRIL) is using an alliance contracting arrangement to procure the programme of works as well as ancillary services and supplies as part of its Wessex Capacity Programme.
The project involves bringing the Waterloo International Terminal back into use for domestic train services, increasing the length of some platforms at London Waterloo Station, alterations to the track, signalling, communications, buildings and civils infrastructure on the Wessex Route.
This is to include work at Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Richmond, Wimbledon and Surbiton stations, required to increase train and passenger capacity across the Wessex route.
The estimated value range of the scheme is between £200M and £300M, with a potential £100M in addition if NRIL decide to include works related to grade separation of Woking junction under the contract award.
Investment and improvements on the Wessex route will contribute to Network Rail’s plan to enhance the capacity and capability of the railway in London and the south and south west of England and help to deliver 20% more seats during peak morning hours into London.
When Network Rail set out its plans for London Waterloo station last year, Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance managing director Tim Shoveller said: “The route out of London Waterloo across the south and south west of England is one of the busiest in Europe, with Waterloo station alone handling around 100M passengers per year – a figure which will only rise in the years to come.
“More passengers create a need for more trains which places an even greater demand on an aging infrastructure which is 175 years old in parts. We will be investing heavily in increasing the network’s resilience and reliability and doing everything we can to be able to provide a railway which can accommodate the extra trains needed to cope with growing demand.”
