Government to award £2.75bn HS2 fleet contract

The Government has this morning (January 20) embarked on the hunt for a company to create its fleet of HS2 trains.

The contract, worth £2.75bn, will see the firm chosen design, build and maintain a fleet of up to 60 high-speed trains, each of which will carry as many as 1,000 passengers.

With building work due to begin on the Birmingham to London portion of the rail network this Spring, 2017 will see the biggest infrastructure project in Europe move from the planning stage to construction.

The successful bidder for the contract, which will be awarded at the end of 2019, will maintain the fleet from the depot planned for Washwood Heath, Birmingham. The facility will also house the HS2 Network Control Centre.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling commented: “Launching the hunt for a manufacturer of these trains is a major step towards Britain getting a new railway which will carry over 300k people a day, improve connections between our great cities, generate jobs, and helping us build an economy that works for all.

“Hundreds of jobs will be created in building and maintaining these trains, representing a great opportunity for British based businesses and suppliers.”

He continued: “In total 25k jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships will be created during HS2 construction and we have held discussions with UK suppliers to make sure they are in the best possible position to win contracts.”

Future contracts will further expand the fleet during the project’s second phase in 2033.

Chris Rayner, the managing director for railway operations at HS2 Ltd, said: “We are looking for a supplier who is capable of delivering and maintaining some of the world’s most advanced rolling stock, with designs putting the passenger at their heart to ensure seamless, accessible, fast and reliable journeys.

“Starting from 2026, our trains will be used by tens of thousands of people every day, bringing the benefits of high speed rail not only to the core network, but also onward to places like Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Preston and Wigan.”

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