Kier Highways has been appointed to deliver Transport for London’s (TfL) new c. £200m Maintenance and Management Contract for TfL Road Tunnels and Pumping Stations.

The new contract will commence in April 2021 and run for eight years, with the option to extend by a further four years. It includes the maintenance of TfL’s road tunnels and highway pump stations, including mechanical, electrical and control activities associated with each tunnel, renewals, safety inspections, intelligent transport systems (ITS) and cleaning.

The contract will play an important role in helping TfL tackle some of the biggest challenges its transport network faces, including reducing road danger and congestion. The new contract will also ensure that TfL’s road network can continue to support millions of journeys across the capital each day.

As part of this contract, Kier will be responsible for maintaining and managing 10 tunnels and 106 pump stations. The tunnels maintained under the new contract are:

• A102 Blackwall Northbound
• A102 Blackwall Southbound
• A101 Rotherhithe
• A12 Green Man
• A12 George Green
• A12 Eastway
• A3211 Upper Thames Street
• A2 Eltham Tunnel
• A406 Fore Street, and
• A40 Hangar Lane.

The new contract will also see the management of all of TfL's tunnels, including its tunnel river crossings, brought into the same team, with maintenance for all tunnels being delivered by Kier.

This will make management of all of TfL's tunnels in London more efficient and make it quicker and easier for TfL to introduce new technology and best practice into the area.

Group managing director at Kier Highways, Joe Incutti, said: “As TfL moves into a number of new contracts for the maintenance and management of the strategic road network in our capital city, we look forward to continuing our established working relationship with TfL through the delivery of this prestigious new tunnels contract. Alongside our supply chain partners, we will continue to leverage our collective tunnel expertise in the capital to work collaboratively with TfL towards its goal of keeping London moving.”

This award establishes Kier Highways as a leading UK road tunnel maintenance service provider, with responsibility for 15 tunnels nationwide with a combined bore length of 6,827km. It also follows on from its appointment to deliver Lot 2 (North) of the Highways Maintenance and Project Framework for TfL which will run for an initial eight year period from 2021 to 2029 and is being delivered in joint venture with Tarmac.

Carl Eddleston, TfL’s Head of Asset Operations, said: “Our network of red routes are the arteries of London’s road network and play a vital role in helping people get around the capital safely, whether they are walking, cycling, getting the bus or driving. This new contract with Kier will help us to ensure that these important tunnels on our road network are safe and well maintained for years to come.”

TfL is responsible for operating London’s red routes. These form a network of major roads across the capital which make up 5 per cent of London’s roads, whilst carrying 30 per cent of traffic.

TfL is responsible for making sure these roads are safe and well-maintained and has commercial agreements with contractors to carry out some of the work needed for this to happen.

https://www.kier.co.uk/media/news-releases/kier-awarded-200m-tfl-tunnels-contract/