Aecom wins contract on world’s longest rail tunnel

Engineering firm Aecom has been awarded a contract to support the design and construction of the Lyon-Turin high-speed railway tunnel project.

The €26 billion Tunnel Europlan Lyon Turin (TELT) project will become a major component in the Mediterranean corridor – part of the European Union’s (EU’s) Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

At the heart of the project is the 57.5km twin-bored base tunnel – the longest rail tunnel ever built – which will cut through the Alps between France and Italy, connecting the high-speed rail networks of the respective countries.

The controversial project, partly funded by the European Union (EU), has been a hot political topic in Italy since it was initially proposed some 30 years ago, with the current coalition divided over both costs and environmental concerns.

Following the EU’s offer to increase its share of funding from 40% to 55%, however, Italy’s Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, said the work necessary to block the project would now cost more than its completion.

Javier Muñiz, head of Aecom in southern Europe, said his company was “leading a new wave of safe and efficient high-speed railway networks that promote habitable communities, reduce road congestion and consider the impact to global climate change”.

He said the project was “an example of a successful long-term collaboration between Southern Hub countries – Spain, France and Italy, and the global support of the AECOM experts”.

Colin Wood, Chief Capability Officer, EMEA, Aecom said his company was “extremely well placed to successfully deliver this exciting project”.

He added, “Providing safe, fast transport that reduces pollution and protects the environment, this railway will transform the way people and goods travel between France and Italy, building a legacy for generations to come”.