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HS2 announces preparatory work shortlist

HS2 has published a shortlist of firms 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 the West Midlands.

The enabling works contracts 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.

The work is split into three packages covering northern, central and southern sections of the route, with work expected to start on schedule in 2017.

The following have all been shortlisted for at least one package:

  • BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group plc, Vinci Construction Grands Projets SAS, Vinci Construction UK Limited, Vinci Construction Terrassement SAS)
  • CEK JV (Carrillion Construction Limited, Eiffage Travaux Publics, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas)
  • Costain Skanska JV (Costain Limited, Skanska Construction Limited)
  • LM (Laing O’Rourke, J. Murphy & Sons)
  • Morgan Sindall / BAM / Ferrovial JV (Morgan Sindall plc, BAM Nuttall Limited, Ferrovial Agroman (UK) Limited)
  • Align JV (BouyguesTravaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, Morrison Utility Services, Volkerfitzpatrick)
  • Momentum Infrastructure (Galliford Try Infrastructure Limited, Hochtief Infrastructure GmbH, Dragados SA)

The shortlisted bidders are expected to be invited to tender in the spring, with contract award later in the year.

“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 HS2 chief executive Simon Kirby.  "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.

“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, bringing the benefits of HS2 further north, sooner – as well as confirmation of the HS2 budget in the Autumn Spending Review.

The shortlists for the three work packages break down as follows:

Lot 1 (south)

  • BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group plc, Vinci Construction Grands Projets SAS, Vinci Construction UK Limited, Vinci Construction Terrassement SAS)
  • CEK JV (Carrillion Construction Limited, Eiffage Travaux Publics, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas)
  • Costain Skanska JV (Costain Limited, Skanska Construction Limited)
  • LM (Laing O’Rourke, J. Murphy & Sons)
  • Morgan Sindall / BAM / Ferrovial JV (Morgan Sindall plc, BAM Nuttall Limited, Ferrovial Agroman (UK) Limited)

Lot 2 (central)

  • Align JV (BouyguesTravaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, Morrison Utility Services, Volkerfitzpatrick)
  • BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group plc, Vinci Construction Grands Projets SAS, Vinci Construction UK Limited, Vinci Construction Terrassement SAS)
  • CEK JV (Carrillion Construction Limited, Eiffage Travaux Publics, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas)
  • LM (Laing O’Rourke, J. Murphy & Sons)
  • Morgan Sindall / BAM / Ferrovial JV (Morgan Sindall plc, BAM Nuttall Limited, Ferrovial Agroman (UK) Limited)

Lot 3 (north)

  • BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group plc, Vinci Construction Grands Projets SAS, Vinci Construction UK Limited, Vinci Construction Terrassement SAS)
  • CEK JV (Carrillion Construction Limited, Eiffage Travaux Publics, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas)
  • Momentum Infrastructure (Galliford Try Infrastructure Limited, Hochtief Infrastructure GmbH, Dragados SA)
  • LM (Laing O’Rourke, J. Murphy & Sons)
  • Morgan Sindall / BAM / Ferrovial JV (Morgan Sindall plc, BAM Nuttall Limited, Ferrovial Agroman (UK) Limited)
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