HS2 Ltd has signed an agreement with leading infrastructure research centres in UK universities.

The agreement will enable HS2 to access world-leading research capabilities, knowledge and facilities.

HS2's agreement with the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) will enable the project to draw upon key centres of British academic excellence to help drive new insight and technologies across the broad range of disciplines involved in building affordable, low carbon, modern infrastructure.

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Co-ordinated by the Universities of Loughborough and Southampton, the agreement will enable HS2 to commission research from across the whole of UKCRIC for Britain’s new high speed rail network. It will also provide a channel for the 15 academic institutions involved to put forward research findings that could be employed on the project.

Andrew Pestana, Innovation Strategy Manager at HS2, said: "HS2 is a major opportunity for Britain's university and business sectors to collaborate at the leading edge of innovation to meet the challenge of delivering Britain's new high speed rail network. The project's size and 20-year delivery programme provides the perfect environment in which to develop solutions for High Speed 2 and the wider rail industry – both of which are crucial in helping Britain’s transport network to decarbonise."

The agreement will first look to identify key areas for collaboration on low carbon concrete, such as alternative reinforcement methods, reducing embedded carbon in production, and re-use of materials.