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Procurement policy
In terms of roads construction, London is split into five areas managed by three stewards – WSP and Parkman each manage two areas, and the London Borough of Camden manages one. Routine work in these five areas has been let under five-year term contracts, which run to 2007. The contractors awarded the work were Ringway Highway Services for the north and west, and north-central areas, Fitzpatrick Contractors for the north and east, and south and east regions, and McNicholas for the south-central area. Large one-off contracts, such as the £15m refurbishment of the Blackwall tunnel, are tendered separately. Very large schemes, such as the new crossings over the River Thames, are managed centrally and let under a competitive tender procurement process.

Current and future projects
London's main roads are managed by Transport for London's Street Management Service, which looks after capital and revenue maintenance and borough roads maintenance. Its budget for roads-related construction activities, new schemes, maintenance, walking and cycling, and road safety is forecast to rise from £244m in 2002/03, to £320m in 2003/04 before levelling off in 2004/05 at £328m. Street Management Service is planning to start work on the £19m A23 Coulson Inner Relief Road in early 2003, and highway improvements on the £30 m A406 project will start in 2004/05. One area highlighted for particular attention relates to walking and cycling. Expenditure under this heading is forecast to rise from £18m in 2002/03 to £78 m by 2005/06.

Planning has started on three possible new crossings over the River Thames, which together have an estimated cost of £1bn. TfL hopes to gain planning consents by 2006 with preferred bidders appointed a year or two thereafter. The £140m PFI deal to extend the Docklands Light Railway from Canning Town to North Woolwich has been awarded to the City Airport Rail Enterprise consortium, which includes Amec, with work expected to start in 2003. Further extensions are planned and a £300m tram system from Camden to Brixton might start in 2011. But the largest transport scheme in London is the £4bn CrossRail. TfL hopes to be awarding contracts in 2006, with the scheme opening in 2011.

Essential information
Transport for London was established on 3 July 2000 and is the integrated body responsible for London's transport system. It manages London's buses, the Docklands Light Railway, the Croydon Tramlink, London's River Services, the Victoria Coach Station and London's Transport Museum. In terms of roads, TfL manages the capital's 550 km network of main roads and 4600 traffic lights through its Street Management Services division. When London Underground's three public-private partnership contracts are finalised, it too will form part of TfL.

The body will be introducing congestion charging into the central area of London from February 2003, with the aim of reducing road traffic demand. The net income raised from user charges will be redirected to other transport modes. By 2004/05, it is estimated that the congestion charge will bring in £130m a year.