Bidding to secure the first major civils contracts for phase one of Britain’s north-south high-speed railway, HS2, has begun.
Chancellor George Osborne announced the start of pre-qualification for seven civils contracts worth £11.8 billion, which cover the surface route and tunnels along the first phase of the line from London to Birmingham, during a tour of China.
HS2Â chief executive Simon Kirby said: “The start of the civil engineering bidding process is a major milestone forHS2 as we continue to move towards the start of construction in 2017.
“Over the next decade, the winners of these contracts will go on to build 230km of bridges, tunnels and earthworks and create thousands of jobs across the construction industry.
“Together we will transform intercity rail travel in the UK, build specialist skills and expertise across the country, create at least 2,000 new apprenticeships and build a legacy to inspire the next generation of young engineers.”
A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) has now been issued with a deadline of November 18. Applicants can bid for a maximum of four construction packages but will only win two at most.
The seven contracts are split into three areas – North, Central and South – and they will include options for additional contracts north of Birmingham.
Between 2016 and 2017, pre-qualification documents for additional packages covering stations and systems will be issued.
Construction of the line from London to Birmingham is scheduled to begin in 2017, subject to the Phase 1 Hybrid Bill receiving Royal Assent.
