Updated 08.27

THE Department for Transport has named the contractors who will carry out work worth £6.6 billion on Phase 1 of HS2 between London and Birmingham. Full construction is now set to start next year.

HS2 Ltd, meanwhile, has named the companies who are on the shortlist to develop the four stations on Phase 1.

Preparatory work has already started after £900 million worth of contracts were awarded in November last year, and some enabling work will be carried out at London Euston over the August Bank Holiday weekend while the station is closed for two days to allow a power supply upgrade for the West Coast Main Line.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling said: “This is a hugely important step in the construction of Britain’s new railway and underlines this government’s determination to deliver an economy that works for all.”

Designs are also being prepared for the new Phase 1 stations. The DfT said the invitations to tender for the station design services contracts for Phase 1 and the ‘invitation to participate in dialogue’ for the Euston Master Development Partner have been released to shortlisted bidders.

The new contracts are:

Area South

Euston Tunnels and Approaches – SCS JV (Skanska Construction UK Ltd, Costain Ltd, STRABAG AG)

Northolt Tunnels – SCS JV (Skanska Construction UK Ltd, Costain Ltd, STRABAG AG)

Area Central

Chiltern Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct – Align JV (Bouygues Travaux Publics, VolkerFitzpatrick, Sir Robert McAlpine)

North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley – CEK JV (Carillion Construction Ltd, Eiffage Genie Civil SA, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd)

Brackley to South Portal of Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel – CEK JV (Carillion Construction Ltd, Eiffage Genie Civil SA, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd)

Area North

Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel to Delta Junction and Birmingham Spur – BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group Ltd, VINCI Construction Grands Projets, VINCI Construction UK Ltd, VINCI Construction Terrassement)

Delta Junction to WCML Tie-In – BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group Ltd, VINCI Construction Grands Projets, VINCI Construction UK Ltd, VINCI Construction Terrassement)

Stations

In a related development, HS2 Ltd said the design and engineering shortlists for station projects include Arup, Mott MacDonald, WSP, Arcadis and a Jacobs/BuroHappold/Idom Joint Venture. All the bidders have been invited to tender for at least two of the four new stations.

The winners will work with HS2 Ltd to develop detailed plans for three new stations at Birmingham Curzon Street, Birmingham Interchange and Old Oak Common, as well as a major expansion of London Euston.