Director of ICE London, Miranda Housden, said: “The ICE London Awards are considered to be the most prestigious engineering awards in the capital, demonstrating innovation, creativity and social value whilst embedding a safety and sustainability culture. Shortlisted projects must be excellent in design, construction, project management, financial control, infrastructure maintenance or network operation.

“The Tottenham Court Road Station Upgrade will encompass a vast new ticket hall with three new entrances, expanded passenger access to the Central and Northern lines, and a key interchange with Crossrail. Being constructed for London Underground by Taylor Woodrow BAM Nuttall (TWBN) and principal designer Halcrow Group, it will enable significant, sustainable improvements to London’s physical and social environment, transport infrastructure and economy.

“The shortlisted Awards entry is for two key project elements completed in 2012: the tunnelling of new pedestrian routes to the Northern and Central line platforms. For the Central line, two new tunnels were excavated immediately below a large Victorian sewer (protected by installation of a raft of spiles from an adjacent Royal Mail rail tunnel) to bridge the existing Central line platform tunnels, without disturbance to services. The overbridges were then completed by building their decks through the platform tunnel’s upper arches during two weekend platform closures.

“Innovative designs and approaches; collaboration between client, contractor and designers; excellent programme and environmental management; the ‘Beyond Zero’ health and safety approach; continuous liaison with highway authorities; and timely information to the local community enabled work to be completed to the highest safety and quality standards, with reduced settlement risk, time and budget gains, and no unplanned disruption to station operation.

“On the Northern Line more than 100m of tunnels, creating new access to the Northern line platforms and the future Crossrail station, were threaded between existing station structures, usually running live with trains and passengers. Complexities included the small surface site, central London location, and highly sensitive neighbouring buildings.”

London Underground’s Programme Manager at Tottenham Court Road, Les Hamilton, said: “The London Underground (LU) and TWBN team are delighted that our project has reached the shortlist of the ICE London Civil Engineering Awards. We are very proud of the work we have done here.

“The Tottenham Court Road Station Upgrade is one of London Underground’s largest station expansion and modernisation programmes. Opening in 2016, the new station will accommodate 200,000 passengers per day, with step-free access from street to train.

“In December 2009 LU awarded the works contract to Taylor Woodrow BAM Nuttall Joint Venture (TWBNJV). The JV employed Halcrow Group as principal designer.

“Over 250m of sprayed concrete lined (SCL) tunnels have been excavated between existing 100-year-old station structures, usually running live with trains and passengers.

“The Northern line element encompasses a broad pedestrian concourse, three cross-passages to the LU platforms and Crossrail station, and the escalator decline from the new ticket hall. Tunnelling began in February 2012 and was completed in December 2012.

“The 30-degree escalator decline was excavated as the project’s first post-demolition phase. This was then bridged by the diverted Charing Cross Road, enabling the previously split site to be unified.

“The Central line element includes two new overbridges constructed above the existing platform tunnels. These will expand capacity for pedestrian access to the platforms from a new Central line interchange tunnel. Construction began in February 2012 and was completed in June 2012.

“The platform tunnels are twin bores, with cast iron (CI) segmental linings. They lie below a large Victorian brick sewer, less than 2m above the crown of the overbridge. The sewer could not be moved, or disturbed without risking leakage.”

The Judging Panel will visit all the shortlisted schemes in February, chaired by Rod Macdonald, UK Director of TSE-n Metro UK and founding partner and former chairman of Buro Happold. Judges include the Deputy Mayor of London, Cllr Victoria Borwick AM, and Executive Director of Laing O’Rourke, Howard Shiplee CBE.

The award winners will be announced on the evening of Thursday 14 March by BBC London presenter Alice Bhandhukravi.

For more information on the ICE London Civil Engineering Awards 2013 can be found at www.ice.org.uk/londonawards.

ICE London has more than 8,000 members living and working in the city. More information can be found at www.ice.org.uk/London. You can follow ICE London on Twitter: @ICE_London