Network Rail has announced that railway track renewals in Scotland will be carried out by Blantyre based First Engineering as it reduces the number of companies carrying out the renewal work on the UK’s railways from six to four.

Network Rail announced the four contractors, also including Amey SECO, Balfour Beatty and Jarvis, following a six month assessment of its track renewals, and the rationalisation of contractors is part of a wider programme to drive improved delivery performance, including safety and engineering quality, whilst improving the efficiency of the rail renewals programme

Announcing the result of the assessment, Peter Henderson, Group Infrastructure Director, said: “By making these changes, Network Rail aims to achieve significant improvements in the delivery of our track renewals programme. By aligning plain-line track renewals and switchings and crossings renewals, and by working closely with our suppliers, we can deliver much improved quality, safety and efficiency.”

Network Rail believe that the changes are expected to increase the efficiency savings from track renewals from 18 per cent to 23 per cent over the next five years.

The six month review and measurement process examined key aspects of the contractors’ performance including safety, engineering quality, cost, volume, and ability to start and finish work on time avoiding delays to passenger services, as well as an assessment of corporate behaviours.

First Engineering’s contract for Scotland, which is an extension of the existing contract and also includes the work for the North West of England track renewals, is expected to be up to the value of £85m per annum and under the existing framework contract there is an option to extend it until potentially 2014.

Chief Executive Janette Anderson said: “This is an outstanding result for First Engineering. I am absolutely delighted that we have been selected as one of the four partners of choice to Network Rail.

“Although this has probably been one of the most rigorous assessments we have ever undertaken with a client, it is a credit to everyone involved in the company that we have been successful. This is an excellent opportunity to work in partnership with our client to deliver safe, reliable and great quality track renewals in the UK.”

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