Thames Tideway Tunnel: Draft Reasons for Specifying the Project as a Specified Infrastructure Project and Issuing a Preparatory Work Notice

Overview

We are seeking views on the draft reasons for specifying the proposed Thames Tideway Tunnel as a Specified Infrastructure Project.  This includes the draft reasons for issuing a Preparatory Work Notice for Thames Water Utilities Ltd.

Why your views matter

We seek views on the draft reasons for specifying the proposed Thames Tideway Tunnel as a Specified Infrastructure Project. We are also seeking views on draft reasons for issuing a preparatory work notice for Thames Water Utilities Ltd. These may change in response to consultation and if the Secretary of State decides to proceed.

If, after this consultation, the Secretary of State decides to issue a “Specification Notice” for the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, then Thames Water (the existing water and sewerage company) would be required to obtain competitive bids for a new independent company that will finance and deliver the Tunnel rather than delivering the project itself. Thames Water would also only be able to carry out certain preparatory work for the Tunnel as set out in an accompanying Preparatory Work Notice. Ofwat will then consider designating and licensing the successful bidder as the “infrastructure provider”. This competitive tendering process should ultimately help ensure better value for money for customers.

We seek views from:

* the public,

* Ofwat,

* Mayor of London,

* London local authorities,

* London MPs with an interest,

* EFRA Committee,

* Thames Water and other English Water and Sewerage Companies,

* Consumer Council for Water.

What happens next

The Secretary of State will consider carefully the responses to this consultation before making a decision.

A final decision on issuing the notices and specifying the Tunnel is expected in Spring 2014.