The contracts comprise two 6.2km tunnel drives between Royal Oak and Farringdon and a separate contract to construct early access shafts and sprayed concrete lining works for Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road station tunnels.
These are the most significant tunnel contracts to be awarded in the UK since the Jubilee Line extension and Channel Tunnel Rail Link and will provide a much-needed boost to UK construction as well as creating major employment opportunities.
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In line with European procurement requirements, there now follows a minimum ten day stand-still period before the award of contracts can be confirmed.
Crossrail will run 118km from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London's key business districts.
When Crossrail opens it will increase London's rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent, supporting regeneration across the capital, helping to secure London's position as a world leading financial centre, and cutting journey times across the city.
(GK)
