OVERVIEW

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has declared the general election result "a massive vote of confidence" in HS2; the argument, he said, "has been won".

This autumn the project enters a critical new phase, as the procurement process for £10bn of construction and engineering work gets under way in anticipation of a site start in 2018. Invitations to tender are expected for main construction and signalling contracts, as well as for preparatory work (to begin a year earlier than the main contracts). Rolling stock manufacturers are also gearing up in expectation of procurement starting early next year.

At the same time the Government has signalled its intent to introduce a bill in this Parliament to allow construction to Crewe, currently part of phase two, to be brought forward, allowing high speed services to a wider range of destinations in the North can begin sooner. And Mr McLoughlin has also signalled his intent to expedite construction of the Birmingham to Sheffield and Leeds arm of the Y-shaped HS2 route. More detail is expected when the Government sets out its plans for phase two, also promised for this autumn.

Transport Times in association with KPMG is organising a conference this autumn which will focus on these key steps.

The keynote addresses at the conference will be given by HS2 Minister Robert Goodwill MP and the Chief Executive for Construction at HS2, Simon Kirby. Mr Kirby will outline how he envisages the procurement and construction of HS2 unfolding and will listen with keen interest on the experience of the supply chain has had in delivering High Speed Rail around the world. He will update the audience on the progress that has been made since he took on the role of chief executive in September last year.

The conference will examine best practice in, procurement, financing, civil engineering, , rolling stock and perhaps most importantly of all, project management. And speakers including Manchester City Council's Sir Richard Leese and Birmingham City Council's Sir Albert Bore will set out their views of what HS2 means to the cities of the UK, and how it will interact with the city devolution agenda.