Consultancy and construction company Mace has been selected by Transport for the North (TfN) in the UK to lead the Programme Support Office for the £39bn Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) programme.
Under the new contract, Mace will provide project controls, project management, stakeholder management and commercial support to ensure a more coordinated approach to progressing the NPR scheme.
Mace Consultancy CEO Jason Millett said: “I am in no doubt that the ambitious and exciting plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail are fundamental to levelling-up our economy and creating opportunities for communities and businesses to thrive across the region.
“Delivering NPR will transform the way people travel and work across the North of England, providing fast, frequent and reliable connectivity.
“As the nation looks to re-emerge from the coronavirus pandemic with even greater resolve, this programme will be critical to recovery, futureproofing the UK’s low carbon transport needs, and addressing regional disparities and inequalities.”
Mace, as Programme Support Office partner, will work closely with NPR and key stakeholders to further enhance the programme management capabilities required to deliver the programme.
Mace Transportation director Sean Gray said: “We’re exceptionally proud of what we’ve achieved in working with Northern Powerhouse Rail and the wider Transport for the North team to drive forwards an infrastructure programme at the top of the national agenda.”
Mace said it would help in preparing a strategic outline case, establishing viable route options, identifying the solutions and interactions with HS2, and championing the programme with decision-makers.
For the NPR scheme, Mace’s expanded and embedded team will continue to work and deliver the Programme Support Office over the next 12 months and beyond.
