Department of Transport

New government advisers appointed to safeguard public interest in Channel Tunnel Rail Link
_______________________________________________________________

date 23 May 1996
source Department of Transport
type Press release

note 163

The Department of Transport has appointed two new consultancies to
safeguard the public interest in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link
following the choice of London and Continental Railways (LCR) as
promoters of the project.

The consultants are:

Technical

A group drawn from Mott MacDonald, Parsons and Sir Alexander
0664Gibb and Partners, consulting engineers who will monitor progress on
the project and ensure that LCR complies with the minimum
requirements set out in the agreements signed with the promoter. They
will ensure that LCR bears the construction risks as agreed, and that
the required progress is made on the construction work before grant
payments are disbursed.

Legal

McKenna & Co will continue to be retained as the Departments
legal advisers. They will advise on and operate the package of
complex agreements.

The existing technical consultancy, provided by Maunsell, will end
when LCR formally take over the project.

The new consultants were appointed by means of competitions which
attracted considerable interest. Each firm had to show not only that
it possessed the knowledge and experience to provide sound advice on
a very wide range of subjects, but also that it had the very great
depth and breadth of resources needed to cover the whole project over
many years, and that it commanded the standing and respect required
to represent the Department over matters of this importance.

It is usual for the Department to appoint financial, technical and
legal advisers for PFI projects because of the ongoing public
interest in them. The Development Agreement signed with London and
Continental Railways envisages the appointment of consultants by the
Department and provides for them to have access to London and
Continentals staff, data and plans, and to inspect sites. London and
Continental are also obliged to provide the consultants with regular
progress reports.

The Government intends to appoint a financial adviser and will make a
separate announcement in the very near future.

Notes to editors

1. London and Continental Railways were appointed on 29 February 1996
to take the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project forward. They will take
over European Passenger Services (the UK arm of Eurostar) and Union
Railways very soon. PN 64/96 refers.

2. The competitions for all three consultancies were launched in
December 1995 and, in the case of the technical and financial
advisers, announced in the Official Journal of the European
Communities. The criteria declared were followed strictly and these
tenderers fulfilled them best. They will begin work at once, in order
to be well placed to act for the Department as soon as the project is
formally transferred to LCR.

3. The legal adviser contract was not advertised in the Official
Journal of the European Communities because contracts for legal
services are exempt from this requirement.

Railhub Archive ::: 1996-05-23 DoT-001