HS2 is changing the responsibilities of two of the main joint ventures carrying out the phase one works.
The managers of the mega project are reallocating assets within the central section of the route in the North Chilterns area between Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and Bam Nuttall JV (EFKB) and Align, which is a JV formed by Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert. McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick.
The measure aims to keep the project on track for completion by 2033, Construction news understand
The details of the changes are still being worked out, but are expected to come into force within the next six months.
An HS2 spokesman declined to comment on whether the contract values, initially worth £1.6bn for Align and £2.3bn for EFKB, would change in line with the scope of their work, citing the sensitivity commercial
The spokesman added: “In order to speed up the delivery of the central section of HS2, we are rebalancing some responsibilities between two of our main works contractors.
“This will allow us to leverage the capabilities that Align has built during the delivery of the Chiltern Tunneland allow EKFB to focus on the core section of the route that must be completed to begin testing and commissioning.”
The Little Dean and the Wendover viaducts will still be delivered by EKFB, the spokesman added.
Earlier this year, CN went on site with the Align JV team to see how work was progressing on the challenging Colne Valley Viaduct and Chiltern Tunnels.
In March, the government announced a delay in the delivery of phase 2a of the megaproject, from Birmingham to Crewe, citing inflationary pressures. The delivery of Phase 1 Euston Station Terminal was also delayed by construction later it stopped by Skanska / Costain / Strabag JV.
This week it arose that the National College of Transport and Advanced Infrastructures, formerly the National College of High-Speed Railways, which the government created in 2017 to provide skills for the project, will close at the end of the current academic year, having not managed to become viable.
