HS2

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been found in two more prisons, with the Ministry of Justice expecting to spend around £900,000 on remediation. The collapse-risk concrete has now been identified in HMP Leyhill, a category D prison in Gloucestershire, as well as HMP Parkhurst, a category B premises that…

HS2 is preparing to apply for an extension to the injunction banning “disruptive protests” on its route, including on the cancelled phase 2a, Construction News can reveal. The legal measure, first granted in 2022, bans anyone from entering or remaining on HS2-owned land; obstructing or otherwise interfering with vehicle access;…

Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out reviving HS2’s second phase if he wins power at the next general election. After several months during which his party has not committed to a position on the megaproject since Rishi Sunak cancelled its northern leg in October, the Labour leader said on Thursday…

HS2 chair and interim chief executive Sir Jon Thompson has provided MPs with seven reasons that the cost of the mega-project has exponentially increased since it was first mooted in 2009. The Gordon Brown-led government initially estimated HS2 would cost £37.5bn in 2009 prices, with one line stretching between London…

HS2 chair and interim chief executive Sir Jon Thompson has said the true cost of phase one of the mega-project will be around £8bn to £10bn higher than the company’s official estimates, which are in 2019 prices. While the current funding envelope for HS2 phase one is £44.6bn in 2019…

Mace has put forward proposals for how the private sector can deliver HS2’s Euston station development but the Department for Transport (DfT) has not yet responded, the contractor’s boss has said. Mace chief executive Mark Reynolds told City AM that his firm’s proposals had “gone into a black hole”. “When…

A local authority has warned that the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg could tip it into financial disaster. Leaders of Cheshire East Council said that it had spent more than £11.2m preparing for the rail link, including £8.6m of capital costs funded by borrowing, which the authority now expects to…

HS2 has published details of its procurement pipeline for the next 18 months, worth more than £1bn in total. More than 300 work packages are up for grabs, ranging in value from £1m to more than £500m. HS2 has provided information on the procurement start date and estimated value. Some…

Bachy Soletanche Holdings (Europe) has added more than £100m to its turnover in a year. The Lancashire-headquartered ground engineering specialist posted income of £221.6m for the 12 months ending 31 December 2022 – up 91 per cent from the year before. Pre-tax profit was up 87 per cent over the…

The next HS2 chief executive could be paid more than their predecessor despite overseeing a scaled-down scheme. HS2 executive chair Sir Jon Thompson has made a proposal for the new CEO’s salary and is awaiting government approval, reports Construction News’ sister title, New Civil Engineer. Asked about the status of…