HA announces prequalified bidders for £4.5bn M25 DBFO

The Highways Agency has announced the list of five prequalified consortia for its £4.5bn, 30-year M25 DBFO contract.

The prequalified groups are:

• Amey, Laing O’Rourke & Ferrovial Agroman.
• CircuLON (Fluor & Transurban Ltd).
• Connect Plus (Balfour Beatty Capital Projects, Skanska Infrastructure Developments AB, Atkins and Egis Projects SA).
• Flow (Vinci Concessions SA, Autoroutes Du Sud De La France, Laing Roads Ltd, Carillion Construction, Costain Engineering and Construction).
• Macquarie Motorway Group (Macquarie European Infrastructure).

Tendering for the contract is due to start in early April with a contract award expected in 2008.

The successful bidder will be responsible for the phased £1.5bn widening of 101km of the M25 to four lanes in each direction. 

The contract will also include responsibility for the future operation and maintenance of the M25, together with parts of the motorway and the operation of the Dartford River Crossing - worth £100m a year.