Network Rail has announced the final preferred bidder for delivery of track upgrade works for the next decade in Central England.

The work, which includes track, points and associated overhead lines and signalling, is worth an estimated £1.5 billion over 10 years.

The latest contract award covers work on London North West, London North East and East Midlands routes and has been awardedto an alliance comprising Balfour Beatty, TSO and SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business.

This follows an announcement earlier this year confirming Babcock Rail, Arup and Arcadis as the preferred bidders for Scotland and Colas Rail and AECOM for the South, completing the full picture of rail system work in the UK.

The announcement is subject to contract terms being finalised, but it marks the final 10-year contract (an initial five-year period with an option to extend) of three new geographically focused alliances between Network Rail, designers and construction suppliers.

Steve Featherstone, Network Rail’s programme director (track) (www.networkrail.com), said: “I look forward to working closely with Balfour Beatty, TSO and Atkins to establish our new alliance to deliver great value for the taxpayer and great service for our passengers and freight customers.

"Reaching this milestone ensures that we will have a stable foundation for the delivery of the core railway infrastructure across Great Britain for the next decade.”

Philip Hoare, CEO of Atkins UK & Europe (www.atkinsglobal.com), said: “This is a significant appointment for Atkins, as part of an alliance that will be helping to deliver the biggest upgrade to the country’s railways in 150 years.

"As an industry, we’re embracing new collaborative ways of working and the application of technology to meet the needs of passenger and freight services alike.”