TfL reassures contractors over delayed £2.8bn Tube framework

Twelve framework contractors waiting for £2.8bn of long-delayed improvement work on London Underground were reassured last week that they are still the client's first choice for works up to £100m.

The pledge came from Transport for London (TfL), which oversees improvement works on London Underground (LUL).

It is in response to angry contractors, frustrated at the lack of work let so far through the Vendor Capital Programme. TfL insisted the framework is "still very much alive".

Twelve firms won places on LUL's £2.8bn Vendor Capital Programme (VCP) framework in August last year, but so far very little work has been let and no schemes have been let worth more than £10m.

One contractor commented: "As far as we are concerned, it doesn't exist and we aren't putting any resources into it."

Another said: "We have only seen very small stuff come through so far, not much above the lower threshold and not much of that. It is very disappointing."

However a TfL spokesman told CJ: "The Vendor Capital Programme remains our first choice for construction and related works that are valued between £3.5m and £100m. Work issued under the programme has been limited while issues around Metronet and TfL's business plan have been worked out, but we consider the VCP very much alive.

The 12 framework members are:

• Balfour Beatty
• Carillion
• Skanska
• Taylor Woodrow
• Birse Metro (Balfour Beatty subsidiary)
• Mansell Construction (Balfour Beatty subsidiary)
• Costain
• Dyer & Butler
• Bam Nuttall (Edmund Nuttall)
• Geoffrey Osborne
• Morgan Est
• YJL Infrastructure