High Speed 2 moves up a gear

摘要

Within just three years construction of phase one of the new high speed railway between London and the West Midlands is set to begin. Suppliers hoping for a slice of the action should step forward now. Debate continues to rage in Parliamentary committees over the merits and drawbacks of High Speed 2 and Royal Assent for the ￡50Bn railway - should it come - is two years away. But despite ongoing politics associated with the project the construction industry must not delay in forming professional partnerships and working with the client to deliver on the vision, says High Speed 2's chief executive Simon Kirby. "High Speed 2 has entered a transition phase; moving from a planning team to a delivery organisation," he says. "Now is the time for suppliers to begin working with each other in a collaborative manner, to build relationships and form teams. "Unlike any other programme that has gone through a Hybrid Bill we are looking to do a substantial amount of design work early, rather than waiting for Royal Assent to happen, so that we can hit the ground running," he adds.