FOUR rail and metro projects have been shortlisted for the Prime Ministerʼs Better Public Building Award.

The Award – the pinnacle of the British Construction Industry Awards – is made for excellence in construction and design for buildings and civil engineering projects. It recognises publicly funded construction projects that are completed on time, on budget and “bring real change to their local community”.

Twelve out of the 32 publicly-funded construction projects shortlisted for this yearʼs Award “are helping improve the countryʼs transport infrastructure,” said 10 Downing Street – and four of them are for rail and metro projects. These are:

• Crossrail’s 42 kilometres of 6.2 metre-diameter running tunnels under Central London.

• Dawlish Sea Wall Emergency Works – undertaken last year by a 300-strong Network Rail team at a cost of £35 million.

• The Borders Railway – the old Waverley line, which was reopened in September and is the longest domestic railway to be built in Britain for more than 100 years. 

• Transport for Greater Manchester’s Metrolink Phase 3 (pictured), serving Oldham, Rochdale, and Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury and Manchester Airport.

The award for the winning project will be presented at the British Construction Industry Awards ceremony in London on 14 October