10.02.15
TfL appoints consultants to develop Crossrail 2 plans
Transport for London (TfL) has appointed four consulting groups to develop detailed plans for Crossrail 2, and help make the case for funding for the major infrastructure project.
The consultants chosen formed part of TfL’s Engineering and Project Management Framework (EPMF) and were selected following a competitive tendering process.
Each set of consultants has been commissioned to offer specialised advice and will work closely with TfL to deliver these plans. The winning bidders along with their project area are:
- ARCADIS Hyder (in partnership with Weston Williamson, VINCI Construction, Interfleet and First Class Partnerships and Dr Sauer & Partners) – engineering/technical aspects;
- CH2MHILL / Atkins (CAST) – strategic modelling, route development; planning, appraisal and evaluation;
- MTEW (Mott MacDonald Ltd, Temple Group Ltd, ERM, and WSP Ltd) – environment and sustainability;
- AECOM, Weston Williamson, and Turkington Martin – town planning, economic development, socio-economic and urban design.
Crossrail 2 is being developed jointly by TfL and Network Rail, and the proposed route, which includes 36km of new tunnels under London, will link key growth areas in the north east and south west of the city to complement the east-west Crossrail 1, which is under construction.
Initial proposals have been consulted on publicly for Crossrail 2 and the Department for Transport is consulting on safeguarding along the route. It is expected that when the proposed new route opens it will transport up to 90,000 people in the morning peak and reduce congestion across the existing rail network.
Michèle Dix CBE, TfL’s managing director for planning, who will soon be taking up the post of managing director of Crossrail 2, said: “The appointment of these four major consultancies is another important step in taking Crossrail 2 forward.
“They will work with us to help make the case for Crossrail 2 and prepare more detailed proposals for public consultation later in the summer.”
It has been forecast that Crossrail 2 will play a “vital role” in supporting the capital’s growth by adding 10% more rail capacity to the network. Mayor of London Boris Johnson added that there is “real momentum” behind Crossrail 2, and a “growing sense that we can get it off the drawing board”.
One of the selected consultants, AECOM, will advise on town planning and area “masterplanning”, working with the other consulting groups to look at the potential regeneration, social, economic and environmental impacts of the rail line.
Andrew Jones, practice leader, design planning economics at AECOM, said: “AECOM brings its extensive experience of public transport and place shaping in London to the programme. Crossrail 2 offers the potential to drive and define the next phase of London’s urban development and deliver huge, enduring economic benefits to the city and surrounding area.”
An initial public consultation took place between May and August in 2013, and there will be further public consultations before an application for powers to build the new railway is submitted in 2017. Construction of the scheme is scheduled to start in 2020, with the line opening in 2030.
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