Metronet to restart Tube station upgrade work

Metronet's long delayed £1bn station upgrade programme is back on track, with the first five of a tranche of 17 stations coming out of the sidings.

The news comes in the same week London Underground revealed Metronet's imminent transfer out of administration. A court hearing next week will fix the date.

The first batch contains five station upgrades worth up to £40m in total. They include Sloane Square, Harrow on the Hill, St James Park, Temple and Chancery Lane. Another 12 are in the pipeline, including the £50m Baker Street and Embankment station upgrades.

Metronet will appoint designers to work up designs for the five stations to RIBA Stage E. As CJ went to press, it was not clear how or when contractors will be appointed. The schemes could be bundled or let as separate contracts.

There is no shortage of contenders. In pole position are the four contractors - Cleshar Contract Services, Costain, Taylor Woodrow and YJL Infrastructure - that Metronet took onboard to help speed up its delayed stations upgrade programme before its spectacular collapse. A framework source said: "It's good news for us and we are more than ready to take on the work."

Another possible vehicle is TfL's Alternative Provider framework. Its members are Taylor Woodrow Construction, Birse Metro and Morgan Est.

Contractors questioned whether London Mayor Boris Johnson was behind the move. One said: "Perhaps Boris has overturned Livingstone's policy of delaying stations work in favour of track and signalling."

A Metronet spokesman said: "We can confirm tenders for design work at these five stations are in the final stages of being let."