Atkinsrealis awarded 98-million-pound rail contract

Executive Summary

• Atkinsrealis Group Inc. has been awarded a £98 million contract by Network Rail to upgrade signalling and telecommunications infrastructure on the Wessex rail route in southern England.
• Over a three-year period, Atkinsrealis will serve as principal contractor and designer, delivering end-to-end design, project management, and construction services for 43 km of railway near Portsmouth.
• The project will replace obsolete systems to improve network reliability, reduce delays, and modernize the route using Atkinsrealis's newly approved Advanced Signalling Method (ASM).

Key Details

• Contract Value: Approximately £98 million pounds sterling.
• Client/Counterparty: Network Rail (Britain's rail infrastructure owner).
• Project Scope & Duration: Three-year contract to upgrade signalling and telecommunications infrastructure on the Wessex route (connecting London, Portsmouth, and Southampton), covering 43 km of railway near Portsmouth.
• Company Role: Principal contractor and designer responsible for full end-to-end design, project management, and construction services.
• Infrastructure Components: Relock and recontrol of the Havant Area Signalling Centre to the Basingstoke Regional Operating Centre; spans 11 stations, 10 interlockings, 4 level crossings, and associated signalling power and telecommunications systems.
• Technology Deployment: Implementation of the Advanced Signalling Method (ASM), noted as the first rail systems integration product to receive formal Network Rail product approval.
• Strategic Framework: Awarded through Network Rail's £4 billion Train Control Systems Framework, on which Atkinsrealis secured a position in September 2024.
• Broader Investment Context: Part of a £2 billion government and Network Rail investment program to modernize the southwest-to-London railway corridor between 2024 and 2029.
• Company Track Record: Builds on Atkinsrealis's existing UK rail portfolio, including the £1.2 billion East West Rail phase 2 program, railway systems integration partnership for the East Coast Digital Program, alliance role in the £1.75 billion Midlands Rail Hub, and prior delivery of the £275 million Feltham & Wokingham signalling upgrade.
• Project Status: Work has commenced; engineering, procurement, and construction are now under way.

Notable Quotes

• Ian L. Edwards, President and CEO: "Reliable rail infrastructure is fundamental to supporting connectivity and economic growth across regions... The scale of this award reflects Network Rail's confidence in our capability to deliver."
• Chris Ball, President, United Kingdom and Ireland: "Atkinsrealis brings deep expertise in rail signalling, covering both conventional and digital technologies, which positions us to meet Network Rail's infrastructure modernization needs... Our track record in the region, combined with our commitment to working collaboratively with the supply chain including SMEs, will support successful delivery of this complex program..."