March 29, 2024

The HS2 Ltd issues the Align JV with a Notice to Proceed

The HS2 Ltd has today (Wednesday 15th April) issued the Align JV with a Notice to Proceed to deliver the C1 package of HS2.

The package was originally awarded to Align, a joint venture of three international and privately-owned infrastructure companies, Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick, a subsidiary of VolkerWessels UK, and its design partners Jacobs Engineering and Ingérop-Rendel, in July 2017. Since then Align has been progressing the design and starting critical pre-construction activities, working in collaboration with HS2, culminating today with the issuing of a Notice to Proceed.

The C1 package worth £1.6bn sits within HS2 phase 1. The C1 route starts approximately 20km to the west of central London and runs across the Colne Valley and then through the Chiltern Hills to the north west. It consists of 21.6km of high speed rail infrastructure that includes what will become a landmark 3.37km viaduct across the Colne Valley and a 16.04km twin-bored tunnel with five ventilation shafts.

The Align partners have an impressive and successful track record of major project innovation, design and construction, and this is reflected in what is planned to deliver the C1 package. A complete scheme design, production of the construction programme and key procurement activities have already been delivered by Align. The decision by HS2 to issue their Notice to Proceed today, signifies the second stage of the project which includes implementation of detailed design and the construction works.

Jean-Pierre Margolin, Executive Director at Bouygues Travaux Publics and an Align Board Director, commented: “I am delighted with how the Align team has come together to develop the design and planning in close coordination with all stakeholders involved for what will be an iconic element of HS2. Each company involved in the Align JV is proud to be playing its part in delivering Europe’s largest infrastructure project.”

Daniel Altier, Align Project Director, added: “This is a complex project however we have delivered some unique innovations to address the engineering challenges relating to both design and planned construction of the tunnel, the tunnel shafts and the viaduct. It’s both rewarding and exciting to get the construction element of the project underway.”