Race on for £2bn Forth crossing deal

Foreign construction giants will be giving their UK rivals a fierce battle for the new Forth Bridge after firms from Spain, France and Germany joined their UK counterparts at an industry open day on the £2bn scheme yesterday.

One name unfamiliar to most who attended the event in Edinburgh is £4.9bn turnover Spanish firm Sacyr Vallehermoso, which recently completed a 21.5km long motorway worth £200m in Chile.

Another Spanish contractor, BAA owner Ferrovial, is also interested while familiar German firms Hochtief and Bilfinger Berger were in attendance. French giants Bougyues and Vinci are also set to bid while US firm Bechtel also made the trip to the Scottish capital.

UK firms at the event included Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Laing O'Rourke and Sir Robert McAlpine.

A host of UK consultants turned up along with Dutch firm Grontmij which bought Carl Bro back in 2006.

Known as the Forth Replacement Crossing, work on the scheme is due to start in 2011.