HS2 has awarded four design contracts for the second phase of the multi-billion high speed rail project.

CH2M, Arup, an AECOM/Capita/INECO joint venture and a Mott MacDonald/WSP joint venture have each been selected to take forward four packages of work worth £520 million.

The contracts are Phase Two B Development Partner:

• CH2M

Phase Two B Civils Design and Environmental Services:

• Lot 1 – CDES – Mott MacDonald / WSP joint venture

• Lot 2 – CDES – AECOM / Capita / INECO joint venture

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• Lot 3 – CDES and Environmental Overview Consultant (EOC) – Arup

The contracts are expected to be signed after 20 February, with staff joining the HS2 Ltd team soon after.

Together, the companies will provide engineering and environmental support needed to take forward the development of the route north of Crewe to Manchester and from the West Midlands to Yorkshire.

A hybrid bill is expected to be presented to Parliament in 2019.

Alison Munro, HS2 Ltd Managing Director – Development, said: "This contract awards mark an important milestone for HS2 – giving us the expert resource needed to progress the second phase of the project and bring high speed rail to Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

"Our new partners bring a wealth of recent experience on some of the world's most challenging and complex infrastructure projects and I look forward to working with them to ensure that HS2 can benefit from the experience and innovation they have to offer."

(LM)