Atkins has been appointed as design and engineering consultant on a major rail project for Rail Net Denmark – with a capital budget totalling over £90 million (DKK 800 million). The contract will create new main lines and supporting infrastructure for passenger trains running between Copenhagen Central and Vigerslev stations.

Eva Rindom, director of rail at Atkins Denmark said: “Alongside the on-going Copenhagen metro project this is another key opportunity for us to demonstrate Atkins’ expertise and wide-ranging technical offering.

“We have worked on similar rail projects before and are aware of the challenges in planning and performing such large construction works in areas of road and rail traffic. We are delighted to be supporting our clients in the delivery of this complex programme”.

Working in partnership with Danish engineering consultancy Grontmij Carl Bro, the five-kilometre-long section will increase passenger capacity, allowing two additional main-line trains per hour in each direction on the Copenhagen-Ringsted line. The new section will replace existing tracks which were previously used by freight services.

Once established, the new lines will also give additional resilience in the event of operational problems on the existing Valby-Copenhagen Central route.

Atkins is also carrying out the design of interlocking engineering under the same project, which is aiming for completion in 2012.