The international infrastructure group, Balfour Beatty plc, has announced that it has been awarded the Whitechapel Crossrail contract. The project is a major new rail link scheme worth £110 million.

The project will connect the City and Canary Wharf, the West End and Heathrow Airport to commuter areas east and west of London. The aim of the project is to provide a world-class, affordable railway with high frequency, convenient and accessible services across the capital.

It will be a joint venture, comprising Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and Vinci Construction - a familiar partnership that has become known for delivering major infrastructure projects in London for many years. Recent projects include construction of the northern ticket hall and western ticket hall at Kings Cross, the East London Line Extension, and the Docklands Light Railway 3 Car Project.

The original Whitechapel station is set to be demolished. The station facade will be retained and a new ticket hall will be constructed behind. The existing Hammersmith & City Line platforms are due to be upgraded and extended, and a new station bridge concourse will be constructed in and over the East London Line cutting. In addition the project will include work on the Crossrail tunnels and related architecture and infrastructure.