Contractor slapped with largest bid rigging fine while nine more are hit by penalties of over 拢5m

Contractor Kier has suffered the severest fines from the OFT鈥檚 investigation into bid-rigging, with a penalty of almost 拢18m.

Kier is one of a number of major contractors to be hit hard by the OFT鈥檚 decision, despite the fact the level of fines in total was on average not greater than 1% of turnover. Its fine was 拢17.9m.

Ten firms in total have received fines of more than 拢5m, including Balfour Beatty (拢5.2m), Carillion (拢5.4m), John Sisk (拢6.2m), Connaught (拢5.6m) and Galliford Try (拢8.3m). Interserve received the second most severe fine, being 拢11.6m.

A few mid-sized contractors also received large multi-million pound fines. These include Bowmer & Kirkland (拢7.6m), Durkan Ltd (拢6.7m) and RG Carter (拢3m).