Tottenham Court Road bidders given six-week extension

Bidders for Transport for London's £500m Tottenham Court Road revamp have been given a six-week extension to submit tenders.

Bids from five teams, Balfour Beatty, Morgan Est, Taylor Woodrow, Skanska/Mace and Costain/Laing O'Rourke/Bachy are now due on 24 July.

One contractor said: "It's a standard extension, there are no delays."

The works, which are expected to begin in early 2010, involve the expansion of the existing ticket hall by six times and a doubling of the station's capacity.

But the extension means that announcement of a shortlist for the £150m redevelopment of Bond Street has been set back until the end of July.

The job, which has attracted interest from seven bidders - Balfour Beatty; BAM Nuttall; a joint venture between Costain, Laing O'Rourke and Bachy; Kier; Morgan Est; Taylor Woodrow; and Tubelines - will see four asked to submit detailed bids.

The contract is expected to be awarded in October this year, with work set to start in November.