HS2 awarded £300m in phase two contracts despite uncertain future

HS2 has awarded £300m of ground investigation work for the second phase of HS2, despite reports that the Prime Minister intends to scrap the rail line north of Birmingham.

Bam Nutall and Van Elle subsidiaries are among eight companies that have been appointed for a £215m framework to acquire geotechnical, hydrogeological and geoenvironmental data along the second route of HS2 in the North West and West Midlands.see below for full list of contractors).

Aecom, meanwhile, has been awarded an £85m contract to coordinate the ground investigation works, which will involve the digging of exploratory boreholes and on-site testing.

All suppliers have been awarded eight-year agreements, which run through September 2031, according to newly released contract announcements.

The award of the contract comes despite widespread national media reports that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has decided to abandon the Birmingham to Manchester phase two works. Sunak is reported to have held a cabinet meeting yesterday (October 3) at the Conservative Party Conference to ratify the decision.

Despite the speculation, Sunak told the BBC’s Breakfast show on Tuesday (October 3) that he “will not be forced into a premature decision”. It is not known whether Sunak intends to make an announcement about the future of HS2 at his party conference or before the autumn statement on November 22.

“We shouldn’t rush into things like this,” Sundak said. “What people would expect from me is to take the time to go through it properly and make sure we make the right long-term decisions for the country.”

HS2 previously awarded Kier a £50m enabling works contract to carry out motorway works, utility diversions and environmental and other studies along the 36-mile stretch of the railway line proposed from Birmingham to Crewe, which forms Phase 2a of HS2.

However, HS2 has yet to award a £500m contract for the design and delivery of the Birmingham to Crewe line, despite appointing three shortlisted bidders in October 2021. The bidders were a joint venture from Aecom and Costain; an Atkins, Mace and Systra joint venture; and Jacobs.