Bosses of the company handling Europe’s biggest construction project have urged local firms to bid for contracts with the £15 billion infrastructure scheme.

Crossrail chiefs say there will be enough work for contractors to support 55,000 full-time jobs. The new rail line will link Berkshire with Essex via 26 miles of twin tunnels under London.

Crossrail has awarded £5.5 billion of work directly to contractors and says more will filter down the supply chain to sub-contracting firms.

A number of Yorkshire firms have already picked up contracts connected to the project but Crossrail said the majority of supply chain contracts are yet to be awarded.

It said tens of thousands of business opportunities will arise over the next few years as the project’s main contractors will need to buy a wide range of goods, works and services from companies of all sizes.

Figures published today by Crossrail show that 43 per cent of businesses winning work connected to Crossrail are based outside of London and the southeast and 58 per cent are small and medium sized businesses.

In Yorkshire, Sheffield-based Romtech Ltd, a specialist ground engineering company producing reinforcement cages used for piling and foundation works clinched 310 million of contracts, while Hull-based Servaccomm Redhall Ltd supplied one of Crossrail’s main contractors with a two storey office and two storey welfare facility.

Crossrail chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “Crossrail is already helping to support employment in Yorkshire and Humber as businesses have benefited from work connected to the project.

“Work on Crossrail is set to peak over the next two years, so it’s vital that businesses in the region seize the opportunities that Europe’s largest construction project has to offer. We want to make sure that firms of all sizes from right across the UK know about the business openings that will arise.”

Crossrail has urged companies to sign up to the CompeteFor website, which automatically matches suppliers to suitable opportunities and allows them to apply for contracts quickly and easily.

Firms bidding for work should also go to the suppliers section of the Crossrail website to find the latest summary of all the direct contracts awarded and download a supplier guide, which is designed to help businesses find out more about Crossrail and how to become a supplier. Crossrail said businesses could also get in touch with their recognised trade association, many of which were in contact with Crossrail about the opportunities.

To date, more than 1,700 UK businesses have secured work connected to Crossrail the project.

The Crossrail route will pass through 37 stations and run 73 miles from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 13 mile tunnels below central London to Sheffield and Abbey Wood in the east.