In the second half of 2022, work continued at full pelt on the construction of the additional station passageway, the Brittenpassage. In the summer of 2022, the Nieuw-Zuid construction consortium completed the foundations for the last two roof sections underneath the railway tracks. In August 2023, these roof sections will be pushed into position, after which the excavation of the Brittenpassage can begin. As a result of this successful operation, the contractor is now able to continue on the second phase of the station regeneration, preparations for which have already started. Not all of the work originally planned for the second half of 2022 was able to go ahead as scheduled. One reason for this was the fact that it did not prove possible to reach agreement in time with the North Sea Canal Area Environmental Service (Omgevingsdienst Noordzeekanaalgebied) on the fall-safety zone during lifting works. Workable agreements have since been reached following intensive negotiations. The second half of 2022 also saw works completed on the railway TV systems, cameras, the dynamic traffic information system, public address system, intercom, waiting facilities and CBTC (communications-based train control). These works were completed successfully.
De Nieuwe Meer interchange
On 16 November 2022, the contract for the reconstruction of the De Nieuwe Meer interchange was awarded to the TriAX construction consortium (Besix, Dura Vermeer and Heijmans). This became possible after the additional budget was granted for Zuidasdok on 14 November 2022. Compared to the forecast in the first half-yearly report on 2022, an additional €99 million is required for this contract. This will be covered in accordance with the financial agreements reached in the management agreement and in the more recent agreements between central government, the City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam regional transport (Vervoerregio Amsterdam), and the Province of Noord-Holland. TriAX can now begin establishing the executive organisation and developing the provisional design. November 2022 saw Equans, in anticipation of the principal contract with TriAX, relocate the controls for the Schinkelbrug bridge to a temporary control hut next to the Nieuwe Meersluis. Since 13 December, all of the bridges have been operated remotely.
Tunnel
In the period covered by the report, further preparations were made for the upcoming tender for the tunnelling of the A10. At a well-attended meeting held in September, potential bidders were able to find out about the contract and the strategy for the tender and present their vision or concerns to the project team. Within the Zuidasdok programme organisation, efforts were also made to optimise planning in order to ensure that the station refurbishment will coincide with the tunnel construction at the heart of Zuidas. This was necessary in order to enable this very busy area to continue to function properly during the works while also ensuring the necessary construction space and work sites are available for the different contractors. In November 2022, the decision was made to start construction work on the northern part of the tunnel in the centre of Zuidas and construction of the southern part at the edges (at the entrances to the tunnels). This will ensure that the contractor working on the refurbishment of the station has sufficient room to work.
Finances and scope
The most important event in the period covered by the report is the awarding of the additional budget of €1.468 billion in the official consultation on the MIRT (Multi-year Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Transport Programme) on 14 November 2022. As a result, the total budget amounts to €3.61 billion as of 31 December 2022. This includes the €99 million for the De Nieuwe Meer interchange tender and a so-called scope extension (€4 million) for works in Overschiestraat at the request of Rijkswaterstaat (Public Works Department).
Risks
Zuidasdok is experiencing the consequences of the current uncertain geopolitical situation on a daily basis, together with the shortages in construction materials and longer lead times this is causing. There is also high inflation, higher prices for construction materials and energy and Zuidasdok is expected to face a shortage of staff in the years ahead, both in its own organisation and at contractors and suppliers. These uncertain conditions are set to persist for some time and have therefore been described in the risk section of the report on the second half of 2022.
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