The joint venture announced it had formally signed off the £95m deal today with C2 and C3 section main works consortium Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall.

At peak production, the works will require over 200 highly skilled experts in ground engineering and foundations, working in a number of varied site locations.

The sign-off is another major success for Keller which in joint venture with Bouygues-owned VSL International also has secured £167m of geotechnical work for C1 section main contractor Align – made up of Bouygues, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick.

The C2 and C3 section will include building 15 viaducts, over 80 bridges, 7km of green tunnels and 30 million cubic metres of excavation.

BKJV’s scope of work is to construct piled foundations for the structures, as well as the construction of secant piled and slurry walls and the installation of pressure relief drains.

The contract is expected to be completed in 2024.

Jim De Waele, Keller President Europe, adds: “BKJV is a return to our successful partnership with Bauer having previously worked together on the London Underground and Crossrail station projects.”

Michael Jones – Managing Director, Bauer Technologies said: “After two and a half years of working collaboratively with EKFB in the planning phase of this project, we are excited to make a start on the main works of this section.”