15.04.20
HS2 welcomes Government approval to issue Notice to Proceed
Today (April 15) the Department for Transport (DfT) has given the go ahead for HS2 Ltd to issue Notice to Proceed to the four Main Works Civils Contractors working on the project, SCS Railways, Align JV, EKFB JV, and BBV JV, to commence full detailed design and construction of Phase One of the HS2 railway (the route from London – West Midlands).
So far, the contracts between HS2 Ltd and the Main Works Civils Contractors (MWCC) for Phase One have focused on undertaking scheme design and site preparation, plus pricing and scoping, for the civils work.
The Notice to Proceed marks the point in the MWCC contracts where the work transitions from scheme design and preparatory work, to full detailed design and construction.
The MWCCs will begin work immediately, progressing detailed design, site preparation works and placing important sub-contracts. Our contractors are continuously reviewing their ability to work within Public Health England guidelines to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce and the communities in which we are working.
The HS2 railway is a momentous investment both in the near and longer-term economic health of the country. HS2 is ‘shovel-ready’ and will drive investment right across the country at this crucial time. Cities including Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester are already benefitting several years before the railway opens.
Once operational, HS2 will serve over 25 stations connecting around 30 million people. HS2 will significantly improve connectivity in the North and Midlands and will also integrate the existing network serving stations into Scotland, creating 500,000 extra jobs and 90,000 homes around HS2 stations.
CEO of HS2 Ltd, Mark Thurston, said: “In these difficult times, today’s announcement represents both an immediate boost to the construction industry and the many millions of UK jobs that the industry supports and an important investment in Britain’s future levelling up the country, improving our transport network and changing the way we travel to help bring down carbon emissions and improve air quality for the next generation.”
Image: HS2