Known as ‘Best and Final Offer’ (BAFO), this will be the last opportunity for the two consortia to refine their bids to win the contract to finance, design, build, maintain and operate the second vehicle tunnel under the River Tyne between Jarrow and East Howdon.

The successful bidder will also operate and maintain the existing vehicle tunnel and the Grade II listed pedestrian and cycle tunnels under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

BAFO bids will have to be returned to the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority (TWPTA) by mid-January 2007.

A preferred bidder will be announced in the spring. A period of negotiation will follow with the Concessionaire appointed in late summer 2007.

Work on the second vehicle tunnel, which will be one of the biggest civil engineering projects in the UK, is expected to start in spring 2008 with completion in 2011.

The bidders are Connect North East comprising Balfour Beatty Capital Projects Ltd and Volker Stein Construction Europe bv; and The Bouygues Consortia led by Bouygues Travaux Publics SA.

Ends 

Issued on behalf of the New Tyne Crossing by Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations. Media Contact: Richard Simpson on 07821 537106 or Felicity Amer on 0191 281 8833.
Note to editors:

1. The New Tyne Crossing is the project to finance, design, build and operate a second vehicle tunnel linking the A19 under the River Tyne between East Howdon (North Tyneside) and Jarrow (South Tyneside) and to operate the existing vehicle, pedestrian and cycle tunnels for a concessionary period of around 30 years
2. Invitations to tender for the New Tyne Crossing were issued on February 8 2006
3. On July 21 2005 the Secretary of State for Transport approved the application by the Tyne and Wear Transport Authority (TWPTA) to go ahead with the planning and construction of the New Tyne Crossing
4. The second vehicle tunnel will be an immersed tube. It is currently scheduled to open in 2011. Once it is open to traffic, a major upgrade of the existing vehicle tunnel will be carried out. This is expected to take between six and nine months
5. The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority is the sponsor of the New Tyne Crossing and is working in partnership with North Tyneside and South Tyneside Councils.