HS2

Our expert teams are working collaboratively and in joint venture to support delivery of HS2, the new high-speed railway that will add capacity and improve connections across the UK.

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Skanska, as part of the Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, is delivering full detailed design and construction of Phase One of the UK's new high-speed railway HS2 in the southern section of the project.

The HS2 London tunnels team is a Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV). As individual companies we have delivered high-speed rail and major infrastructure internationally and have a proven record of working together. We bring together an industry leading combination of tried, tested and successful partnerships, world-wide rail experience and extensive national and regional knowledge.

We are constructing the London Tunnels section of HS2, which consists of 13 miles of twin-bore tunnels on the route to its southern terminus at Euston. With 95 per cent of the journey in this section being underground, our teams are using six tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to complete the complex tunnelling operations.

Four TBMs have completed the excavation of the 8.4 mile twin bore Northolt Tunnel that will take brand new high-speed trains from the outer edge of the capital at West Ruislip into the new Old Oak Common super-hub station in west London.

The team are currently constructing Euston Tunnel. The 4.5-mile (7.2km) twin-bore tunnel that will carry high-speed trains between Old Oak Common Station and London Euston. It will reach depths of up to 50m below ground and will be excavated using two tunnel boring machines (TBMs), Karen and Madeleine, which will be launched from the eastern section of HS2’s Old Oak Common Station.

Each tunnel boring machine operates like an underground factory, excavating the tunnels, lining them with pre-cast concrete tunnel segments, grouting them into place before moving forward at an average speed of 16 metres per day.

A seventh TBM was used to excavate a logistics tunnel which is being used to deliver materials and remove spoil from the northern portal where HS2’s Euston twin bore tunnel will be constructed.

Working as an integrated project team, we have harnessed our global expertise to meet the complexities and demands of the project. This includes in our approach to the health, safety and wellbeing of our people and supply chain teams, the tools, technologies and techniques to deliver the works and our industry-leading Logistics Hub – which is at the heart of the HS2 operation in London.

Fact box

Over 5000 people across the SCS JV project
22 sites along the route
7 TBMs boring a combined length of 26 miles
13 miles of twin bore tunnels
12,600km piles – enough to pile from the UK to Australia
14,500 tonnes reinforced steel – enough to build nine Wembley Stadium arches
Estimated 37% carbon reduction at project completion
100% of the electricity purchased is from renewable energy sources backed by REGOs (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin)
Over 700 tonnes of steel reclaimed and reused in SCS works

Building for a sustainable future

It’s not just what we build, but how. We’re finding ways to cut carbon and costs through trialling and implementing new techniques.

Leaving a lasting legacy

In addition to the physical assets, we are delivering lasting benefits through local partnerships and creating employment and training opportunities.

HS2 enabling works

In joint venture we delivered a complex programme of enabling works for HS2 at Euston.

Learn more about our enabling works project.

Specialist piling and ground engineering

Our Cementation Skanska business is also delivering ground engineering and innovative piling solutions to enable HS2, including for our Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture. This includes the game-changing zero trim piling technique and trial of electric and hydrogen piling rigs.

Discover more about our ground engineering, piling and fabrications expertise.