Midlands firms have shared £2.68bn of HS2 contracts since 2016
New figures show that since 2016, firms in the Midlands have won £2.68 billion of contracts on the HS2 high speed rail project.
Thousands of UK businesses have won contracts to support the construction of the line.
Last month Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the northern leg of the HS2 scheme from Birmingham to Manchester would be scrapped, promising instead to put the money into hundreds of smaller transport projects.
Since 2016 more than £11.5bn worth of tier two contracts have been awarded by HS2’s construction partners to businesses of all sizes, in every UK region.
The Midlands is eclipsed only by Greater London, where many company headquarters are situated, with £3.16bn.
Contracts linked to building the high speed network between London and Birmingham are expected to continue for at least five more years, stimulating new business for the 3,000 UK-based suppliers already providing goods and services, with the chance for more to join them.
Major civil contracts for the flagship stations in Old Oak Common, Solihull and Birmingham have been awarded, but new opportunities will stem from the extensive fit-out programmes. The year ahead will also see a shift away from HS2’s civil contract dominated works to planning for the integration of rail systems, unleashing a raft of work packages for companies in the tech, digital and rail sectors.
Andrew Cubitt, HS2’s procurement and supply chain director, said: “High speed rail is well established across Europe, but there’s untapped potential here in the UK. Successful businesses diversify, and that’s exactly what we need companies on our doorstep to do.
“A broader scope of contracts is coming down the line, so this is the time for firms in the rail, tech and digital sectors to start engaging with HS2.”
