HS2 Phase I civil works shortlist announced

UK: High speed project delivery company HS2 Ltd has shortlisted nine consortia to bid for between £7·1bn and £11·8bn worth of contracts covering preparatory works for and construction of the first phase of HS2. This 190 km high speed line would link London with Birmingham and the West Coast Main Line near Lichfield and is planned to open in 2026.

The parliamentary bill covering the first phase is due to receive its third and final reading in the House of Commons on March 23 before passing to the upper chamber. Royal Assent is expected before the end of the year, HS2 Ltd says.

As well as formally starting tendering for £900m of enabling works, HS2 Ltd has begun the procurement of an initial batch of 2 million trees to mitigate the effects of building the railway. Options for up to 5 million more native plants to be acquired over the next 10 years are included in a procurement process worth between £5m and £9m.

Phase I civils work has been divided into seven packages. The shortlisted bidders will be invited to tender for a maximum of four packages and will only be awarded a maximum of two, HS2 Ltd says. All the packages will be let as two-part design and build contracts, to ‘encourage innovation and flexibility’ in delivery.

The seven work packages cover the following sections:

• Lot S1 – Euston Tunnels and Approaches (£600m - £900m);
• Lot S2 – Northolt Tunnels (£850m – £1·4bn);
• Lot C1 – Chiltern Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct (£800m – £1·3bn);
• Lot C2 – North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley (£800m – £1·3bn);
• Lot C3 – Brackley to Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel South Portal (£600m – £900m);
• Lot N1 – Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel to Delta Junction / Birmingham Spur (£900m – £1·5bn);
• Lot N2 – Delta Junction to West Coast Main Line Tie-in (£800m – £1·3bn).

‘Today’s announcements are a major milestone for the project. HS2 will help create tens of thousands of job opportunities, build specialist skills and expertise across the country and create at least 2 000 new apprenticeships’, says HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Simon Kirby. ‘Collaboration will be at the heart of everything we do. Together with our suppliers, we will create these opportunities while continuing to push for the best value and long-term efficiency that will be essential to delivering this transformational project on time and on budget.’