Engineering firms gear up for £10bn HS2 contracts
British engineering companies are being invited to bid for up to £10billion worth of contracts to build England's new high speed rail network.
HS2 will run from London to Leeds and Manchester via Birmingham, making it Europe's biggest construction project. It is expected to support over 100,000 jobs.
"Building HS2 is a massive, long term project; one that offers huge opportunity for large and small companies right across the country," said HS2 chief executive Simon Kirby.
"To construct it and then bring it to life will require a vast range of skills and expertise, some of which we have and some we'll need to develop."
Kirby went on to describe HS2 as a huge transport, investment and economic opportunity.
He added: "To deliver a project of HS2's scale and complexity we are committed to working with companies who share our collaborative values.
"We are also determined to build on Crossrail's success where 97% of contracts were placed with UK-based firms."
Nearly 500 firms have signed up to attend HS2's two Supply Chain Conferences so far.
The first will take place in London on 17 October, and then in Manchester on 23 October.
