HS2 is changing the responsibilities of two of the main joint ventures carrying out phase-one works.
Managers at the megaproject are reassigning assets within the central section of the route in the North Chilterns area between the Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and Bam Nuttall JV (EFKB) and Align, which is a JV made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick.
The move is aimed at keeping the project on track for completion before 2033, Construction News understands.
Details of the changes are still being worked out but are set to take effect over the next six months.
An HS2 spokesperson refused to comment on whether the contract values – initially worth £1.6bn to Align and £2.3bn to EFKB – would change in line with the scope of their work, citing commercial sensitivity.
The spokesperson added: “In order to streamline the delivery of the central section of HS2, we are rebalancing some responsibilities between two of our main works contractors.
“This will allow us to capitalise on the capabilities that Align has built during the delivery of the Chiltern Tunneland allow EKFB to focus on the core section of the route that needs to be complete in order to start testing and commissioning.”
The Small Dean and Wendover viaducts will still be delivered by EKFB, the spokesperson added.
Earlier this year, CN went on site with the Align JV team to see how works were progressing on the challenging Colne Valley Viaduct and Chiltern Tunnels.
In Marchthe government announced a delay to the delivery of phase 2a of the megaproject – from Birmingham to Crewe – citing inflationary pressures. Delivery of phase one’s Euston station terminal was also delayed with construction subsequently paused by the Skanska / Costain / Strabag JV.
This week it emerged that the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure, formerly the National College of High Speed Rail, which was set up by the government in 2017 to deliver skills for the project, is to close at the end of the current academic year, having failed to become viable.