TfL looking to procure new-style tunnel system

Transport for London (TfL) has begun the procurement process for a new Tunnels Control and Monitoring System (TCMS) ahead of the expiry of its current contract and the planned opening of the Silvertown Tunnel next year.

The transport authority has issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN) ‘to invite potential suppliers to help shape how it might define, procure and contract for a TCMS'.

The PIN does not give a value for the procurement, but states that its purpose is ‘to notify the market of TfL's intention to carry out early market engagement to assess the current market capabilities and appetite for the requirement, and to provide details of how the early market engagement process is to be conducted’.

It describes the TCMS as ‘a software-based Traffic Management System’, which it says is vital to TfL's performance of its authority duties and obligations, ‘particularly with regard to the safety and operability of 12 existing road tunnels on the Transport for London Road Network and an additional one being added from 2025’.

‘This system monitors and controls the safety systems in the tunnels and the associated London Traffic Control Systems (LTRACS) on approximately 90km of approach roads,’ the PIN adds.

A spokesperson for TfL told Highways that it does currently have ‘a tunnel management system’ in place but the contract for that system and the associated services is coming towards the end of its term.

The spokesperson added that the PIN has been published to gauge current interest and capability within the market to inform TfL’s decision-making on next steps.

The PIN states that as part of the early market engagement to be undertaken, TfL would like interested parties to respond to a Market Engagement Sounding Questionnaire.