Network Rail warns contractor it could be suspended from bidding for rail work because of engineering over-runs

Balfour Beatty could be suspended from bidding for major rail infrastructure work, The Observer reports this week.

The contractor was warned by Network Rail that it would face 鈥渧ery severe consequences鈥� if it was responsible for more chaos on the railways, following delays by over-running engineering works.

No specific threat had been made, the paper said, but did point out that Balfour Beatty was 鈥渙n warning鈥�.

Manfred Leger, Balfour鈥檚 head of rail operations, was called in by Iain Coucher, Network Rail鈥檚 deputy chief executive, after an over-run outside Waterloo in London last Monday caused chaos for commuters.

This summer Network Rail suspended contractor Carillion from bidding for renewals work.