National Highways has awarded Turner & Townsend Limited a £23.3m commercial partner contract on the proposed Lower Thames Crossing scheme.
The government-owned company said the contract award marks the completion of the integrated client team for the project, comprising National Highways, a technical partner, and an integration partner.
Together with the main contractor they will deliver ‘the single largest roads project in a generation’, which includes the longest road tunnels in the UK, 14.3 miles of new road, seven ‘green bridges’ to connect communities and wildlife, new public parks and 46km of new and improved footpaths and cycle routes.
The eight-year contract will see Turner & Townsend providing day-to-day commercial and contract management, independent cost assurance and cost audit function across the programme.
Matt Palmer, Lower Thames Crossing executive director, said: ’National Highways has a track record of successfully delivering major projects and is bringing in partners from across the wider industry to not only help us deliver this project but lay the foundation for how roads are built in the future.
‘A key part of this is how we bring maximum benefit to as many people as possible whilst offering value for money, and the experience of Turner & Townsend can help us achieve that.’
David Whysall, managing director for infrastructure at Turner & Townsend, said: ‘The Lower Thames Crossing represents a vital part of the UK’s future road network and will have a transformative impact on connectivity across the south-east.
‘Through a collaborative delivery model, it has the opportunity to be an exemplar in driving programme performance and changing the industry’s approach to net zero. This fully aligns with our own strategy and will leave a strong legacy and positive outcome for its stakeholders.’
National Highways recently announced the shortlisted bidders for its three main work contracts – Roads North of the Thames and Kent Roads worth a combined £1.9bn, and the £2.3bn Tunnels and Approaches contract. The £162.5m integration partner contract was awarded earlier in the year.
The contract was awarded via a secondary competition through the Crown Commercial Service Project Management and Full Design Team Services Framework.
