HS2 names London station contractors

HS2 railway (High Speed 2) has named the construction teams that will be awarded contracts to deliver the project’s London Euston station and its west London super-hub at Old Oak Common in deals which could support up to 4,000 jobs across the UK.

Work on the Euston station will be a joint venture for Mace and Dragados

At Euston, there are plans that would more than double capacity, dealing with increasing passenger demand, while freeing up space on the West Coast Mainline for more freight and commuter services to places like Watford and Milton Keynes.

On the Old Oak Common project, Balfour Beatty Group, Vinci and Systra are the successful bidders. With platforms both above and below ground, Old Oak Common will be the UK’s best-connected station, with direct services to three major airports and eight out of Britain’s ten largest cities as well as London’s new Elizabeth Line.

With such strong links, it is hoped that the arrival of HS2 will kick-start the UK’s biggest regeneration project, transforming the former railway yards into new neighbourhoods supporting up to 65,000 jobs and 25,500 new homes.

HS2 chief executive Mark Thurston said, “Mace, Dragados, Balfour Beatty and Vinci have a strong track record of delivering some of the world’s most challenging and exciting infrastructure projects, and I look forward to welcoming them to the London teams.”

The news comes a day after the release of the latest design images for Old Oak Common, where HS2 meets London’s Crossrail line.

Work is already well underway on HS2, with more than 7,000 jobs currently supported, both directly and across the UK-wide supply chain. In London, more than a thousand people are at work on site, clearing the way for the start of construction and undertaking essential pre-construction works.

HS2 services will eventually connect over 25 destinations and 30 million people across the UK. However, in January there was some speculation as to whether the high speed project would be dropped.