The UK's High Speed Two (HS2) has announced the names of the companies that will provide the high-speed rail project’s track, signalling, and communications, as well as other systems.
The companies are the Ferrovial Construction/BAM Nuttall joint venture (JV), Colas Rail, Siemens Mobility, and the JV between Hitachi Rail GTS UK and Telent Technology Services (TTJV).
The contracts for the rail systems are expected to be signed after the statutory standstill period of ten days.
Collectively valued at approximately £3bn ($3.7bn), these contracts will see the transformation of nearly 140 miles of tunnels, bridges, and earthworks between London and the West Midlands into an operational railway.
The companies will design and install approximately 280 miles of track capable of supporting speeds up to 225mph, along with the necessary power supplies and signalling equipment for safe railway operations.
Meanwhile, a vast network of optical fibre cabling, stretching over 1,200 miles when laid end to end, will serve as the railway's central nervous system, facilitating signalling and communications.
These contracts are expected to support jobs across the UK. The main rail systems contractors will operate under a Rail Systems Alliance structure, promoting collaboration on design, access, resources, and logistics to meet cost and schedule targets.
The initial design phase will run concurrently with the ongoing civil engineering works, ensuring readiness for site mobilisation once the civils are completed.
Ferrovial BAM will manage the design and construction of the track infrastructure and Colas Rail will handle the overhead catenary systems.
Meanwhile, Siemens will take on operational telecommunications, security systems, command and control, signalling, and traffic management, as well as the engineering management system.
TTJV will be responsible for third-party telecommunications.
A separate contract for the Washwood Heath depot and Network Integrated Control Centre is set to be awarded next year, further advancing the ongoing HS2 project.
