Network Rail has awarded £90 million worth of contracts for railway improvement works between London and Reading.

French company Alstom will upgrade train control signalling systems while infrastructure firm Amey will improve signalling power supplies.

Alstom's £79m deal forms the final stage of the full re-signalling of the Great Western Main Line between Reading and Paddington in the west of London.

The contract involves the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a new train control system. Signalling work is already underway and will allow Transport for London's Elizabeth line trains to operate on that section of the railway along with other services on the Great Western Main Line.

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The £11m deal awarded to Amey for signalling power works between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington includes replacement of obsolete power supplies and installation of new supplies for the signalling equipment.

The work is being carried out as part of the £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan.

Matthew Steele, Crossrail Programme Director at Network Rail, said: "This is a vital step in the delivery of a bigger, better, more reliable railway for London and the South East. By ensuring the new trains can run seamlessly amongst existing rail services and by building in resilience at the outset, we increase the capacity and reliability of the railway meaning that passengers benefit from quicker and easier journeys they can depend upon."

(LM)