Rail industry picks four contractors for £44bn framework

Four contractors have secured a minimum five-year contract to deliver building and civils projects for the rail industry as part of a £44 billion programme.  

Story Contracting, Amco, BAM, and Morgan Sindall have been appointed by Network Rail to join the Eastern Routes Partnership (ERP) through the railway provider’s new Control Period 7 (CP7). 

CP7 sets out planned activities, outputs and expenditure of operating, maintaining and renewing the UK’s mainline railway infrastructure between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2029. 

As part of the framework, the core partnership team will have the option to renew for a further five years from 2029 (CP8). 

Network Rail is a public sector arm’s length body of the Department for Transport (DfT) which owns and operates railway infrastructure in England, Wales, and Scotland. 

Other strategic outcomes of CP7 include: 

• deliver £3.9 billion worth of efficiencies, building on CP6 

• support 7.5 per cent freight growth over the next five years 

• improve train service reliability and punctuality 

• further reduce carbon emissions by 20.5 per cent 

Story CEO, Andy Joy, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this framework win, which gives great opportunities for our business, our people and our supply chain. 

“This award, in addition to the frameworks in North West and Central, also means we can recruit new talent to our business at all levels and bring the next generation of the team to Story.  

“We will also continue our strong presence in our communities, working with local and regional partners to deliver sustainable projects to enhance the areas and environment we work in.” 

Network Rail and Story Contracting are in the final phase of replacing one of Glasgow’s busiest bridges on Shields Road in the city. 

The bridge had been subject to a weight restriction for 25 years prior to its demolition in Easter.  

Since then, engineers have craned in the new bridge deck, installed new parapets (side walls) and put new overhead line equipment underneath the bridge. 

Ahead of its reopening next month, utilities such as gas, electricity and telecoms will be moved onto the bridge and the new road surface will be laid. 

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