HS2 announces enabling works contractors 10 Dec 2015

The identity of some of the likely joint venture bidders for the main civil tunnelling contracts for the UK’s high speed rail program is revealed as HS2 announces the shortlist for Phase I enabling works.

HS2 Ltd today (10 December) publishes a shortlist of seven joint venture teams in the running to win a share of £900m of preparatory work ahead of the start of major civil engineering on the first stage of the project, between London and Birmingham (Table 1). A spokesman for HS2 told TunnelTalk that at this stage JVs will likely be limited to one lot, although a final decision has not been taken on this.

The enabling works contracts are divided into three lots – north, south and central – and cover a range of activities including utility diversions, ecology surveys, archaeology, establishing site compounds, site clearance, demolition, ground remediation, watercourse activities, highways realignments, monitoring and instrumentation, structural reinforcements and drainage. Four of the JV teams have been shortlisted for all three lots. Work is expected to start on schedule in 2017.

“Today’s shortlist marks an important milestone as we move towards the start of construction in 2017, and a real boost for the UK construction industry,” said Simon Kirby, HS2 Chief Executive.

“Over the course of the next few years the winning bidders will go on to employ thousands of people on site and in the supply chain, preparing the ground for the start of major civil engineering."

He added: “Announcing the shortlist now will help give business the certainty they need to push on with their bids, start to put in place supply chains, and invest in recruitment, training and education ahead of the start of construction.”

Today’s announcement follows on from the Government’s decision to bring forward the Birmingham to Crewe section of the route six years ahead of schedule (to 2027), bringing the benefits of HS2 further north, sooner – as well as confirmation of the HS2 budget in the UK Government Autumn Spending Review.

HS2 has already announced that the main civils packages will be split into seven lots for a total contract value of £6.4 billion. The procurement timeline now envisages invitations to tender in Spring 2016, followed by the award of contracts later in 2016 or early 2017.