Professional Services contract for management of a project to develop a new library of Tunnel specifications

Tunnels standards and specifications sit within three National Highways Libraries including DMRB, MCHW and TSS Plans Registry;

Several NH tunnels in the existing estate are expected to undergo renewal works during RIS2 and RIS3. In addition to project specific works information, the scope and scale of the works mean that project delivery teams are faced with a wide range of technical standards for the tunnels systems and technology. Some technology standards are also less clear when defining operational technology equipment in a tunnel environment as opposed to a standard motorway.

The Standard for Design of Road Tunnels was updated from BD 78/99 to CD 352 in March 2020. CD 352 requires that tunnel systems and technology be designed in accordance with that standard and the standards listed under its Normative References. Any potential misalignment of those standards (including those within TSS Plans Registry) poses additional risks to project delivery teams.

The immediate impact of not addressing this requirement is that schemes progress their designs without alignment with specific requirements of Digital Services.