HS2 ON TRACK FOR PIVOTAL 12 MONTHS AS HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY TAKES SHAPE

As 2023 draws to a close, HS2 Ltd is putting the finishing touches to a huge package of work that will eventually allow for the physical operation of the new high-speed railway between London and the West Midlands.

In 2024, the government-owned company will let around £5 billion worth of contracts to oversee the building of the tracks, power, signalling, overhead lines and the railway's new network control centre. They will be constructed to the highest standards to help create a new benchmark for speed and punctuality, ensuring passengers can rely on the service, even in the face of extreme weather.

Contracts will also cover a new telecom system that will allow travellers to experience uninterrupted phone calls and streaming along the entire route, including in tunnels.

The move marks a crucial turning point for the project, starting to bring the working railway to life, seven years after parliament officially gave HS2 the go-ahead. To date, skills and resources have largely focused on the huge feats of civil engineering – tunnels, bridges, embankments and cuttings – being constructed along the 140-mile route.

Once complete, HS2 will almost halve the journey time between London Euston and Birmingham, with trains running further north via the existing rail network. It will also free up space on the congested southern section of the West Coast Main Line, with the potential to double capacity between London and the West Midlands, as well as fuelling economic growth around its new high-speed stations.

Eleven contracts are already out to tender and are expected to be awarded in 2024, unlocking more opportunities for the UK’s construction, engineering and rail sector.