King’s Cross works are fast-tracked

Main contractor Balfour Beatty has negotiated an opening date of 1 December 2009 for the new ticket hall, three months ahead of schedule.

The move has increased the cost of the job, which will provide a new ticket hall and pedestrian tunnels for the Northern, Victoria and Piccadilly lines at King’s Cross, by £26 million to £141 million.

Robert Oag, Balfour Beatty project manager for King’s Cross Northern Ticket Hall, told Construction News: “We agreed a new target date and the new final fixed cost, that includes the whole scope of works and inflation, with London Underground.”

Local CTRL services will run from Ashford, Ebbsfleet and Stratford International to King’s Cross St Pancras and during the 2012 Olympic Games special Javelin services will carry spectators from north to east London in seven minutes.

During the Games 105,000 passengers are expected to pass through King’s Cross underground station every day, rising to 110,000 daily by 2020.

The contract to build the new ticket hall was originally handed out by Metronet and work started in summer 2006.

It includes the construction of a new ticket hall comprising a three-storey underground box with tunnels and 10 escalators leading to Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines existing platforms.

The roof of the box will also serve as the base of the new western concourse at King’s Cross.

Taylor Woodrow remains in talks with Network Rail about the main works contract for the job, but has started on site with preliminary works.

The first phase of the job, which included a new ticket hall and access to the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, was completed by a Costain/Taylor Woodrow joint venture in 2006.

The whole station will have step-free access.