High Speed Two - Phase One

HS2 is a state-of-the-art, high speed railway line that is critical for the U.K.’s low-carbon transport future. It will provide zero-carbon journeys between the U.K.’s two largest cities, Birmingham and London, with services continuing on to Manchester, the North West and Scotland using the conventional railway network, cutting journey times. HS2 is the first new intercity railway to be built north of London in over a century.

By building a new railway line, HS2 will take long-distance services off the existing railway and onto dedicated tracks. This will allow slower local trains to more efficiently use existing lines, freeing up space for many more commuter services and freight trains.

HS2 will leave a legacy of environmentally responsible travel, economic regeneration and technological innovation for generations to come. High speed trains will travel between London and Birmingham on 140 miles of dedicated track. They will pass through four new, state-of-the art stations, 32 miles of tunnels and more than 10 miles of viaducts, delivering quicker, zero-carbon journeys on more trains with more seats. HS2 research shows how the impending arrival of high speed rail will drive a $12 billion (£10B) economic boost for the West Midlands during the next 10 years.

Jacobs has been supporting Phase One continuously since 2012 across two roles – as Development Partner from 2012 to 2016, and as part of the Engineering Delivery Partner – the Jacobs/Atkins/SENER team – since 2016. We have worked collaboratively with HS2 in integrated and co-located teams throughout, undertaking a wide range of professional services from project management to design to delivery strategy & execution to drive long-term efficiencies across the development, design and delivery of the project.

In 2016, Jacobs was appointed as the lead member of the joint venture Engineering Delivery Partner (EDP) for Phase One. The EDP is a fully integrated team co-located with the client to drive long-term efficiencies across the design and build process. The EDP covers both civils and railway systems interfaces and is integrated with HS2 Ltd in its offices in Birmingham and London, and at site offices along the route. 

The EDP team is comprised of multi-disciplinary specialists and provides all facets of engineering, environmental services and delivery to support HS2 Ltd in the coordination, integration and control of engineering and environmental design, development, design assurance, digital solutions & technology integration, construction, testing and commissioning and other ancillary services required for delivery of Phase One. Depending on the needs of the program, we also provide world-class project engineering and environmental resources to supplement the HS2 team, including subject‐matter experts to support technical assurance and design reviews.

Staying focused on safety is central to our values at Jacobs. Together with HS2, we’ve helped to create a safety culture that has been key to the development of the health and safety system for the program. We also established a health and safety governance structure, implemented a training and awareness program and have driven the safety values across the supply chain.

There’s also significant focus on people at HS2, which aligns with our Jacobs values too. As well as being measured on our commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into the program, there is significant emphasis on skills, education and employment. Every year the EDP facilitates dozens of school engagements, offers work experience placements and activities, and helps several individuals attain professional accreditation and status.

In early 2020, Phase One received formal Notice to Proceed from the U.K. Government, which meant that construction could start. In our role as EDP, and previously as DP, we have performed a wide array of tasks and provided expert analysis to support HS2’s capability program that demonstrated to the Department for Transport and wider Government that HS2 as an organization was in a position to go ahead.

The EDP continues to support HS2 into the main construction stage, providing expertise and services to support the successful delivery of this critical stage of the program. By drawing on our considerable global experience of delivering major programs, we're able to bring the right people, processes and systems to help HS2 deliver this transformational program through all stages of the project lifecycle.

We consistently deliver in the region of £10 Value+ for every £1 spent through our contract – identifying efficiencies, reducing costs and removing carbon. We achieve this by leveraging our deep domain experience and proven capability across all aspects of the program, to drive CAPEX efficiency by reducing scope, delivering faster, removing risk and maximising financial returns.