Network Rail asks four firms, including Balfour Beatty and Costain, to bid for improvement job between Stratford and Shenfield

Contractors Balfour Beatty and Costain are among four firms in the race to design and build station improvements for the North East over ground section of Crossrail.

Also, invited to tender are Hochtief and VolkerFitzpatrick.

The works will take place on the line from Stratford in East London to Shenfield in Essex.

The job includes major improvements, such as platform lengthening and lift installation, to Romford and Ilford stations. There will be other improvements to stations including Forest Gate, Goodmayes, Harold Wood, Gidea Park, Chadwell Heath and Brentwood.

Alongside the work to stations the job includes extra train stabling capacity and train turning facilities.

Peter Mason, Network Rail’s Crossrail senior programme manager, said the project would help Crossrail “transform public transport” in London and the South East.

He said: “Network Rail is undertaking a major upgrade of the existing rail network that will benefit passengers and freight customers, including a significant programme of track renewals as well as station improvements under the Crossrail programme.”

The works are due to complete in 2017