HS2 bidding process opens

Chancellor George Osborne has invited bids for phase one of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project between London and Birmingham.

Speaking at an event in Chengdu, China, the Chancellor encouraged firms to bid on the seven contracts, worth a combined £11.8Bn.

A new ‘H2 partnering day’ will be held to allow British and Chinese companies to look into the possibilities of creating joint ventures to bid on the HS2 contracts.

He also invited Chinese investment in the Northern Powerhouse by showcasing £24Bn worth of investment opportunities.

Mr Osborne said: “This government is committed to rebalancing our economy and building a Northern Powerhouse, and improving transport links and launching HS2 is key to supporting long-term economic growth across the North and Midlands.

“That’s why I’m here in China today opening the bidding process for construction contracts worth £11.8Bn, which will propel HS2 forward.

“We are truly entering a golden era of cooperation between our two countries, and it’s crucial that businesses and communities from across the UK feel the full benefit of forging closer economic links with China.”

Duncan Green, managing partner at Pick Everard, welcomed the announcement, but he also issued a note of caution on how the tender process should be handled. He said: “Having worked with HS2 Ltd for some time we are fully conversant with the significant benefits the scheme can offer to the country’s economy and today’s announcement is great news.

“However the tender process must be open and transparent to ensure UK firms are given every chance to compete, and in particular the process must be run efficiently to avoid the delays we have seen on other major procurement exercises.”

Construction of phase one between London and Birmingham is due to begin in 2017 and will see journey times reduced from 81 minutes to just 49 minutes.

The post HS2 bidding process opens appeared first on UK Construction Online.