Following the collapse of contractor Carillion and after discussions with the UK Government and their clients on the HS2 project, Kier and Eiffage – who were previously in JV with Carillion (CEK) – are now 50/50 joint venture partners delivering two of the seven civil engineering packages, lots C2 and C3.
The two central packages won – C2 and C3 – that will new be delivered by the new 50/50 JV are: North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley; and Brackley to South Portal of Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel
All 51 Carillion employees, including apprentices, working on the CEK HS2 joint venture have been offered the opportunity to join Kier/Eiffage with continuous service being maintained.
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Commenting Haydn Mursell, Chief Executive, Kier said, “We have been working collaboratively with our clients and are pleased to have reached agreement with Government. We have been able to take action quickly and reassure the project teams that they continue to play an important role in the delivery of these contracts.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said, “This announcement demonstrates the strength and purpose of the joint venture contracts agreed on HS2 works (and the smart motorways programme). These have enabled Kier and Eiffage to step in as planned and guarantee continued employment, apprenticeships and the seamless delivery of these vital projects.”
Mark Thurston, Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd said, “We welcome this decision by the remaining JV partners. Through this difficult time the team has continued to deliver and we’re grateful for their on-going hard work and dedication. No time delays or costs implication have come about as a result of the events of this week, underlining the strength of the joint venture approach taken by HS2 in procuring its partners.”
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