At the UK Infrastructure Show in Birmingham (NEC, April 30th), HS2 Ltd detailed its current and upcoming opportunities. Speaking about the £10 billion investment, both HS2’s Chief Engineer and Supply Chain Manager promoted SME access to the supply chain and collaborative approaches to tendering.

SME’s and Collaboration 

The main civil design works for HS2 began in mid-2017. Today, 62 sites between London and Birmingham (Phase 1) are being operated on, this includes enabling works programs, ecological and archaeology works, demolition works, utilities devotions and groundworks; 70% of the current 2,000 suppliers are SME’s. This route will require 300 over bridges and 25% of the route in tunnels.

Three joint venture contractors, with total contract values of £900m, have been appointed on this Phase to date:

• Area South – CS JV (Costain Group Plc and Skanska Construction UK Limited)
• Area Central – Fusion JV (Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd, BAM Nuttall Limited and Ferrovial Agroman (UK) Limited)
• Area North – LM JV (Laing O’Rourke Construction Limited and J. Murphy & Sons Limited)

Procurement

Construction procurement for Phase 1 has been completed which has presented 1000+ commercial opportunities; 60% expected to go to SME’s. Phase 1 will also see two stations being constructed in Birmingham (Interchange/Curzon Street).

Timeline

HS2 in its entirety will be completed in 2033 (with Phase 1 to be completed by 2026) and it will be integrated into the conventional network, servicing 25 stations. The construction is expected to require a workforce of over 30,000 (direct-labour). The timeline for its development is:

• Phase 1, Birmingham and London (expected completion 2026, works commence end 2019)
• Phase 2A, Crewe (2027)- under parliamentary process- expected to be complete by the end of 2019
• Phase 2B, Manchester and Leeds (2033) – due for Royal Assent 2023

Geoscience Ireland (GI) has expertise in rail-related consultancy and contract works, namely route design, civil engineering, tunnelling, archaeological and environmental services, the supply of materials and aggregates, precast concrete and piling services.

For further information please contact Jessica Allen (jessica.allen@gsi.ie), or see GI case studies at geoscience.ie