Subsids Contract Awarded

BICC PLC
7 October 1999



BALFOUR BEATTY WINS £250 MILLION OF MAJOR TRANSPORT PROJECTS IN HONG KONG AND
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THE USA
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Balfour Beatty, the engineering, construction and services group, announces
today that it has won three major overseas transport infrastructure projects.

In Hong Kong, in conjunction with local joint venture partner Zen Pacific
Civil Contractors Limited, it has been awarded the HK$2.2 billion
(approximately £176 million) contract to construct the Nam Cheong station in
Kowloon as part of the new West Rail development for the Kowloon-Canton
Railway Corporation.

In the USA, Balfour Beatty Construction Inc has been selected by the State of
Carolina as the preferred bidder on the $65 million design and build contract
for the highway widening and bridge construction for Route SC 170 in Beaufort
County, South Carolina.  It has also secured the $58 million contract for the
reconstruction of US Highway 59 and US Highway 90A where the 59 passes over
the 90A.  This follows the award last month of a $67 million contract to widen
US 59.  The client in both cases is the Texas Department of Transportation.

Commenting on the awards today, BICC Chief Executive, Mike Welton, said, 'We
are delighted to win these contracts.  In Hong Kong, we have the largest
contract on the major current infrastructure development project, reflecting
the strength of our capability in offering specialist major project and design
and construct expertise in a complex rail context.

'The South Carolina and Texas awards add further to our substantial and
growing presence in the specialist civil engineering market in the USA.  With
an order book in the USA of over $800 million, much of which is in long-term
contracts, we can look forward to further opportunities arising from the US's
commitment to upgrading its transport infrastructure.'

Enquiries to:-
Tim Sharp
BICC Group
Tel: [phone]