Construction of Victoria Dock Portal will get underway in autumn 2012. It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded in spring 2012.

Five new tunnel portals will be constructed as part of Crossrail at Royal Oak, Pudding Mill Lane, Victoria Dock, North Woolwich and Plumstead.

The Western and Eastern running tunnels will have tunnel portals at Royal Oak, Pudding Mill Lane and Victoria Dock. The Thames Tunnel between North Woolwich and Plumstead will have tunnel portals constructed at either end.

Construction of the first tunnel portal got underway at Royal Oak in January 2010 and is due to complete in early 2012. The first Crossrail tunnel boring machine will set out on its journey from Royal Oak towards Farringdon in spring 2012.

The North Woolwich and Plumstead portals are included as part of main works for the C310 Thames Tunnel contract. Enabling and mobilisation works are currently underway at Plumstead with utility diversion and ground clearance works ongoing at North Woolwich.

Enabling works for Pudding Mill Lane Portal started over a year ago and are on schedule to be completed at the end of 2011. Main construction for Pudding Mill Lane Portal is now underway.

Due to the close proximity of the Crossrail worksite to the Olympic Park, work on Pudding Mill Lane Portal will be suspended during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

Andy Mitchell, Crossrail Programme Director said: “The procurement process for the remaining Crossrail tunnel portal is now underway. The contract for Victoria Dock Portal will be awarded next year. Construction of Royal Oak Portal is advanced and is due to complete in early 2012 ahead of the first tunnel boring machine being launched from Royal Oak in spring 2012. Main construction at Pudding Mill Lane Portal is now underway with advance and enabling works progressing at the North Woolwich and Plumstead portal sites.”

City.Mobi

Also in Europe today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to London.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

London.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.