UK: Network Rail has awarded an eight-year civils examinations framework with an estimated £113 million spend to inspect critical structures across its Wales and Great Western routes.

Network Rail civils framework has £113M estimated spend for tunnel, bridge and coastal examinations across Wales & Western.
Photo: Network Rail

£113M estimate spans Wales and Great Western routes

Network Rail says its Wales & Western region includes more than 2,700 miles of railway and 5,841 bridges, serving Wales, the Thames Valley, the West of England and the South West Peninsula. Those figures show the scale of the region; they are not a disclosed count of assets to be examined under this framework.

The tender notice says the framework will use a schedule of rates to price an annual work bank. The Lot 1 supplier receives 100% of the tunnel work bank, while the two Lot 2 suppliers are each aligned to a route and receive 100% of the work bank for that allocated route. The public notice does not identify which Lot 2 supplier is aligned to which route, nor state a total number of structures, examinations or inspection frequencies.

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Two lots split tunnel and wider structure examinations

The award separates tunnel examinations from the wider programme covering bridges, culverts, retaining walls, underwater structures, coastal and estuary assets and ancillary structures.

Lot Structures covered Supplier(s) Stated value, excluding VAT
1 Tunnels Inspire (Structures) £9.89 million
2 Bridges, culverts, retaining walls, underwater structures, coastal and estuary assets, ancillary structures Ground Control; XEIAD £103.4 million

The £103.4 million figure is the stated value of Lot 2, not an amount awarded separately to each of its two suppliers. At framework level, Network Rail estimates spending at £113 million excluding VAT. The procurement notice also gives a £136 million notice value to allow for unexpected expenditure and says actual spending may vary with demand and requirements.

The contracts were signed on 29 May following a competitive flexible procedure under the utilities regime. They run from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2031, with options to extend by a further two years and then one year, potentially taking the framework to 30 June 2034. Work will be awarded directly, and only Network Rail can use the framework.

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