12.06.17
NR awards £9m contract to deliver Cornwall capacity enhancements
Design, engineering and management consultancy firm Atkins has today been awarded a contract worth £9m to upgrade the signalling capability in the south of Cornwall.
The planned works form part of the Cornwall Capacity Enabling Scheme for Network Rail, and Atkins will now take responsibility for the work on the signalling system between Truro and St Erth throughout GRIP stages 4b-8 of the project.
The company will oversee design, construction, installation, testing, commissioning and entry into service prior to the introduction of the winter 2018 timetable.
It is hoped that the project, when complete, will dramatically improve local connectivity for passengers and enable one extra train per hour to run between Plymouth and Penzance.
“A range of in-house disciplines will be deployed, including signalling and telecommunications, power supplies, permanent way and civil engineering services, to implement 12 new signals and upgrade seven level crossings,” said Stephen Mills, senior project manager, transportation at Atkins.
Richard Evans, programme manager at Network Rail, added that the upgrade work is an exciting development for the communities of south Cornwall, “as this part of larger strategy to enable more frequent services to and from Truro from late 2018 onwards”.
Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become an RTM columnist? If so, click here.