Network Rail has appointed four suppliers to deliver £2Bn worth of route electrification to more than 3200km of line over the next seven years.

The winning bidders are ABC Electrification (Alstom, Babcock and Costain), a joint venture between Amey and the Spanish construction firm Inabensa, Balfour Beatty and a partnership between Carillion and Austrian based SPL Powerlines.

Work will be carried out within six geographic frameworks, with ABC Electrification and Carillion Powerlines looking after two frameworks each.

Once work is complete more than half of Britain’s rail network will be electrified and three quarters of all traffic on the railways will be electric trains. Network Rail claims that electric trains are better for the environment than diesel units, more reliable and cause less wear to the track.

“This represents the biggest programme of rail electrification in a generation and will provide faster, quieter and more reliable journeys for millions of passengers while cutting the cost of the railway,” said Network Rail’s managing director of infrastructure projects Simon Kirby.

Railway Industry Association director general Jeremy Candfield added: “This is a major and very welcome step in the transformation of the railways. It will encourage suppliers to invest in the training and equipment needed for the growing national electrification programme.”

Photo: Network Rail

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