Don’t let HS2 send you off the rails

News of the government’s review of HS2 has been somewhat overshadowed from public gaze by the ongoing Brexit turmoil. Nevertheless, it has sent shockwaves through the construction industry. With the project’s total cost having risen from £62bn to between £81bn and £88bn, transport secretary Grant Shapps recently announced that the first phase of the project will be delayed by up to five years, shifting the projected completion date to between 2028 and 2031. Refusing to rule out a complete cancellation, he said the review would put the government in a better position to make a “go or no go” decision by the end of this year.

While the government has said work on HS2 will continue in the meantime, suppliers should be considering the potential ramifications of a delay or, worse, cancellation of the project.

Here Sheena Sood discusses the key contractual considerations.