Delivery of London's vital Thameslink Programme came closer as Network Rail announced their preferred contractors for initial work worth a total of £27 million at three key sites.

The preferred contractors will have to work with Network Rail to provide firm timescales and budgets for three key projects within the overall programme, and undertake a range of initial works necessary to deliver the planned major upgrades at Farringdon and Blackfriars Stations and to provide new track capacity at Borough by early 2012.

When work on the first phase of the Thameslink programme is complete in 2012 the core route through central London will be able to accommodate 12 car trains at double the frequency level currently possible with the present infrastructure.

The preferred contractors announced are:

Blackfriars - Balfour Beatty Group

Blackfriars Station will be completely rebuilt to accommodate 12 car trains with the new station spanning the River Thames and providing an entrance on the South Bank for the first time.

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The £15 million Stage One contract provides for the setting of firm target costs and timelines for the completion of the major works required in building the new station.

Borough - Skanska Construction Group

The railway at Borough, to the west of London Bridge Station is one of the worst bottlenecks on the national rail network. The Thameslink Programme provides far more capacity at this point with the construction of a new rail viaduct .

This £1.7 million contract covers a range of minor works to enhance facilities at Borough Market and will also provide a new temporary market hall alongside the existing wholesale market to house the stalls that will need to be relocated during the construction phase from 2009.

Farringdon - Costain Ltd in joint venture with Laing O'Rourke

Farringdon Station, owned and operated by London Underground, will require extended National Rail platforms, new station entrances and expanded concourse space to accommodate 12 car trains on Thameslink route services from 2012.

The £10.3 million contract here includes extensive preparatory works for the major work to redevelop the station from 2009 including replacement of the existing interchange bridge, construction of part of a new station entrance & concourse on Turnmill Street and other minor works on emergency access/escape routes and cable diversions.

Network Rail's Chief Executive Iain Coucher said: "We have an exciting range of investment projects all over Britain to build a bigger, better railway.

"These contracts mark a major step forward in rebuilding one of the most important rail links in the country, providing sorely needed extra capacity for travellers to and through the Capital and underpinning the economy of both London and the UK in general for decades to come."

(CD/JM)