BAM Nuttall wins contract refurbishment Blackwall Tunnel
Bunnik, Netherlands, 14 January 2010 - BAM Nuttall Ltd - the British civil engineering specialist of Royal BAM Group nv - has been awarded a contract valued at approximately € 50 million (£ 49 million) by Transport for London (TfL) for the refurbishment of the northbound carriageway of the Blackwall Tunnel in east London.
The Blackwall Tunnel carries one of London's busiest commuter roads, the A102, under the River Thames between the boroughs of Greenwich in the south and Tower Hamlets in the north. The A102 is a vital linkfrom South East London and Kent towards the London Docklands, City of London, and Central London. The Blackwall Tunnel consists of two separate tunnels. The tunnel carrying northbound traffic was opened in 1897 and is 1,364m long.The tunnel will remain open to traffic during the day while refurbishment is carried out, which is scheduled to start in February and take three years.
The project involves a complete upgrade of the tunnels emergency walkways and systems. Additionally new ventilation equipment will be installed, fire and life safety systems upgraded and state-of-the-art safety and communications systems incorporated, including high quality lighting, CCTV surveillance, radio-interrupt systems and variable message signs to convey quick appropriate information to tunnel users. Also included will be improvements to the drainage storage facilities and pumping systems and decommissioning of the tunnel to create emergency niches.
Further information:
- Peter Bishop, BAM Nuttall Ltd, +44 (0) 1276 85 47 49
- Arno C. Pronk, Royal BAM Group nv, + 31 (0)30 659 86 21.