Norwest and Nuttall share pole position

The Norwest Holst/Nuttall joint venture looks to be in pole position to take the œ30 million Contract 3 on the A12 Hackney Wick to M11 link road in north east London.

The joint venture has yet to hear from the Highways Agency, but the other contractors on the list have either received rejection letters or are pessimistic about their chances.

Costain, Balfour Beatty and Tarmac went out of the running early on. Mowlem has recently received a no thank you letter and Trafalgar House believes it is out of the reckoning. The Norwest Holst/Nuttall joint venture may have been able to give their bid an edge as the former is the main contractor for the œ31.5 million Contract 4. Work on that contract began in September 1993 and is set to run for four years.

Contract 3 is at the centre of the four contract project and consists of 700m of dual two-lane carriageway. Included in this are retained cuttings, a 165m long cut and cover tunnel close to the Central Line Underground, modifications to side roads and roundabouts, a single span bridge over the Central Line, a pedestrian/cycle bridge and four subways.

Meanwhile, three contractors are left in the running for the œ40 million Contract 1. The Sir Robert McAlpine/Fitzpatrick joint venture is tipped as the lowest bidder. Mowlem and Alfred McAlpine have not been rejected, but have not heard anything either.