Crossrail Delivery Partner: A Tried and Tested Team Ready to Deliver for London

NEWS RELEASE FROM BECHTEL, HALCROW, and SYSTRA 

LONDON, April 1, 2009 – Bechtel, Halcrow, and Systra welcome the announcement made today by Crossrail that it intends to select the Bechtel, Halcrow, and Systra team for the role of Project Delivery Partner.

Speaking on behalf of the three companies, Cliff Mumm, Senior Vice President of Bechtel commented:

“We are extremely pleased to hear today’s announcement. This is one of the most important and exciting construction projects in the world. We believe that we offer a proven, tried, and tested team, ready to deliver for London. We have a track record of managing large scale infrastructure projects on time and on budget, notably High Speed 1. We have complementary skills: Bechtel brings world-class project management, Halcrow is a multi-disciplinary consultancy offering world-class rail and tunnelling experience, and Systra is a world leader in railway systems, bringing technical expertise proven on the Paris RER network. The team has a wealth of experience of infrastructure projects in London. We are pleased that we will now have the opportunity to bring these skills to bear for the benefit of Crossrail and London.”

The Project Delivery Partner will be responsible for managing the delivery of the central London tunnel from west London, through Paddington, and branching to the north and south of Whitechapel. This will involve the construction of a new 21-kilometer twin-bore tunnel under the centre of London, 6 new stations, and the complex job of integrating Crossrail with London’s existing transport systems. Crossrail’s central tunnel section alone will be the largest construction project in Europe.

The team will be led by Mumm, who has substantial experience in managing large, complex, multi-disciplinary projects. He has an impressive construction background and has been responsible for major civil infrastructure projects including railways; buildings; roads; bridges; water and wastewater facilities; airports; and power projects in the UK, Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

When Bechtel was asked to complete the London Underground’s Jubilee Line extension in less than a year, with two years worth of work to go, Mumm led his team to an on-time completion and received an honorary Commander of the British Empire for his outstanding achievements.

Crossrail at a glance

Crossrail will run 118 kilometer from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21-kilometer tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 60 minutes’ commuting distance of London’s key business districts.

When Crossrail opens in 2017, it will increase London’s public transport network capacity by 10 percent, supporting regeneration across the capital, helping to secure London’s position as a world leading financial centre, and cutting journey times across the city.

Preparatory works will continue throughout 2009. The main Crossrail construction starts in 2010. Crossrail is scheduled to open for service in 2017. Crossrail is promoted by Crossrail Limited (CRL). CRL became a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London on December 5, 2008.

Notes to Editors

1. Bechtel is one of the world’s leading engineering, construction, and project management companies. Combining world resources with local knowledge and experience, Bechtel has a renowned reputation for successfully delivering complex, large-scale projects on time and on budget. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries. Today, our 44,000 employees are teamed with customers, partners, and suppliers on hundreds of projects in nearly 50 countries. Bechtel has been present in the UK for over 50 years, with its civil infrastructure business based in London.
2. Halcrow specialises in the provision of planning, design, and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. Founded in 1868, the company has developed into a leading consultancy in all of its core sectors – water, transportation, maritime, and property. The company’s 8,400 employees operate from a network of over 80 offices worldwide. A UK company with its head office in London, Halcrow is owned and managed by its employees and staff shareholders, making it one of the largest independent firms of its kind. Halcrow is a renowned rail and metro designer, with systems delivered in over 30 cities worldwide. The company's experience in all types of tunnelling and underground works, is second to none. With over 75 years' experience in tunnelling, Halcrow has contributed to countless London projects, making it the city's most experienced tunnelling consultancy. 
3. Systra, together with its subsidiaries, makes up one of the world’s leading groups in urban transportation engineering and rail engineering. Systra has successfully supplied complex rail engineering solutions in a number of the world’s capital cities. Systra is a railway engineering consultant with its roots in the Paris metro and French rail network, and a long-established UK branch. With offices and branches throughout the world, Systra is currently working for metro clients as far afield as Dubai, Hanoi, Cairo, and Copenhagen, aiming always to offer the benefits of world-class engineering standards to all of its clients.
4. Media enquiries should be directed to Edelman: Chris Rumfitt at + 44 (0) 7967 226 646 or Rishi Bhattacharya  at + 44 (0) 7767 654070. Media enquiries only.