Notice to Proceed for HS2

On 15 April the Government gave approval for High Speed 2 Ltd to issue ‘Notice to Proceed’ to its main works contractors for Phase One, linking London with Birmingham.

The move follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement in February that the Government was giving HS2 the ‘green signal’. Notice to Proceed grants formal approval for the main design and construction phases of the project to get underway. HS2 Ltd will enter stage two of the main works civils contracts, with seven lots awarded in July 2017 to four joint venture organisations.

Costs for Phase One are expected to be in the range of £35 to £45 billion, with the Phase One business case (published by the Department for Transport concurrent with the announcement) indicating a target cost of £40 billion. A partial start of Phase One passenger services between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street is planned between 2029 and 2033, with full Phase One services from Euston planned to start between 2031 and 2036.

HS2 Ltd reports it has redesigned its Phase One organisation structure in preparation for Notice to Proceed, to focus on the delivery of the main works civils contracts and construction of the railway.