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| Atkins wins biggest ever highways contract Atkins, the UK's largest design and engineering consultancy, announces that Connect Plus, a consortium comprising Atkins (10%), Balfour Beatty (40%), Skanska (40%), and Egis (10%), has reached financial close on the £6.2 billion Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) contract to provide additional capacity and maintain the M25 motorway for the Highways Agency. The project is the biggest single highways contract Atkins has ever won. Atkins will provide the design expertise for the 40 mile (63km) widening programme. This will see the M25 expanded to four lanes between the M40 and A1, and the M11 to the A13 at Thurrock. As part of the project Atkins will also be providing engineering advice on the A1(M) Hatfield Tunnel refurbishment, specifying vital safety systems like fire & smoke detection, ventilation, and traffic control. The work will be completed in time for the London 2012 Games. The total amount of project funding is £1.3 billion, comprising of £925 million of senior debt provided by 16 commercial banks. There's also a separate £185 million facility from the European Investment Bank, and £200 million provided by the shareholders of Connect Plus. write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Construction News :: home page |