Ajoint venture between Atkins China and Ove Arup Hong Kong has scooped a contract from the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) to carry out the preliminary design of the first phase of Hong Kong’s planned US$650 million North Island line.
The group won the deal after beating off a challenge from two other teams, one led by Maunsell Consultants Asia, the other by Meinhardt.
Atkins China/Ove Arup will prepare plans for a 2.7km long rail tunnel from the end of the existing Tung Chung line at Hong Kong station to a new station called Exhibition, close to the Exhibition and Convention Centre in the Wan Chai district.
The MTRC plans to award a separate design assignment for the second phase of the line which includes a further 800m of tunnel and Tamar station.
Preliminary design work is due to be completed next year. The MTRC is then likely to put the project out to tender as a design and build scheme with contractors partnering design consultants.
The North Island line is the second MTRC rail project to go-ahead after the corporation’s partial privatisation in October.
