1. The Channel Fixed Link : le Projet du Siècle
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2. Major Projects Benchmarks
Performance
Criterion
Megaprojects1
Average
Channel Fixed Link
Budget increase
88%
69%
Programme
Overrun
17%
14.2%
Conformance
Quality
53% not up to expectations
Performed as expected
Operational
Profitability
72% not profitable
Operationally profitable
1) source : Merrow (1988)
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3. The Channel Fixed Link 1 the external environment
Political uncertainty
The 1987 UK election
Suspicions of the banking community
The initial contract
Morton’s role
Booming EU economies
Cost inflation, especially trains
Rising revenue forecasts
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4. The Channel Fixed Link 2 governance
Rolling stock – percentage fee
Largest budget overrun; failed to motivate TML
Terminals and services – fixed price
Smallest budget overrun but largest source of contention – effectively became inoperable
Tunnels – incentive contract
Medium budget overrun, but on programme
Motivated both sides to solve problems
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5. The Channel Fixed Link 3 stakeholder analysis
Internal
Eurotunnel ++
TML ++
Workers +
Contractors and suppliers +
Shareholders +/-
External
Travelling public +++
British and French states +
Local communities +/-
Banks - -
Future generations ++
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6. The Channel Fixed Link 4 organisation design
Phase 1 – separated construction; co-located design
Limited coordination required for construction as two sites separate
Phase 2 – integrated organisation
Breakthrough joined sites
M&E a common project
Phase 3 – flattened organisation
Key tasks, commissioning and claims
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7. The Channel Fixed Link 5 lessons
Clear allocation of roles and responsibilities
Integrate or separate client and contractor
Package project
Let packages as separate projects
Strong clients mean successful projects
Motivate resource bases through incentive contracts
Defined the project mission fully
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8. The Channel Fixed Link 6/7 success and failure
Whose success?
Whose failure?
Your opinion
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