Failed firms chosen as M25 contract front-runners

The Liberal Democrats and the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) are angry that the provisional preferred consortium for the work on the M25 includes the Balfour Beatty and Atkins companies.

Both were part of the London Underground maintenance consortium Metronet which has gone into administration.

Balfour Beatty and Atkins are part of the Connect Plus consortium which was today chosen by the Highways Agency as provisional preferred bidder for the M25 work.

This includes not only widening, but also maintaining the motorway over a 30-year period.

Lib Dem transport spokesman Norman Baker said today: "Ministers have clearly failed to learn the lessons of the Metronet fiasco. Let's hope this project doesn't end up wasting taxpayers' money by turning into a similar disaster.

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"Judging by the Department for Transport's terrible financial record, they will be popping champagne corks in the board rooms of these companies tonight.

"We already know that widening the M25 will be an environmental disaster, but it may well be heading for financial disaster as well."

CBT roads and climate campaigner Rebecca Lush said: "The selection of Connect Plus to run large sections of the M25 over 30 years demonstrates appalling judgment by the Highways Agency.

It has selected a consortium which includes two companies in the hapless Metronet Tube consortium which went into administration last year. If these companies cannot run the Tube, how can we trust them to run the M25?"

The Highways Agency said it expected to award the M25 contract "in late 2008".