Balfour, O'Rourke, Morgan Est chase £400m Lee Tunnel

Four bidders are chasing the £400m Lee Tunnel for Thames Water in east London.

The bidders are: 

• FCC
• Laing O'Rourke / Impregilo
• Morgan Est / Vinci / Bachy
• Murphy / Hochtief

The contract involves construction of a 7km tunnel from Abbey Mills pumping station in Stratford, east London, to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works.

Construction of the Lee Tunnel is due to begin later this year and be completed in 2014, pending planning and other approvals.

Head of London tideway tunnels at Thames Water Phil Stride said: ""We will now go through a vigorous assessment programme to shortlist bidders to construct the Lee Tunnel and pending planning approval, we hope to award contracts later this year."

Planning applications for the Lee Tunnel, including an extension of Beckton Sewage Treatment Works to increase its treatment capacity, were submitted to the London Borough of Newham, the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and the Olympic Delivery Authority in May 2008.