Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, today encouraged small and medium Dorset businesses to bid for supply chain opportunities available as part of the £7.5 billion package of contracts already awarded to deliver Phase One of the new, high speed rail network.
“Now is the time for Dorset’s many innovative and forward thinking companies to go out and secure some of this vast opportunity for themselves,” says Drax. “Potential supply chain requirements range across many business sectors and will include environmental works, civil engineering, construction materials and plant supply. Technical expertise will be in high demand; HS2 will launch its Skills Strategy in the summer and will be training a new generation in the engineering skills needed for high speed rail.”
“This is an opportunity not to be missed and I am delighted to hear that Dorset was already represented at a recent, HS2, ‘Meet the Contractor Day’ in Birmingham, at which 1400 meetings were held with representatives of 430 firms.”
“The benefits of HS2 should be felt across the nation. We are particularly blessed with new technology firms here; I strongly urge our businesses to see what they can do.”
“The HS2 website has more details at: hs2.org.uk/supply-chain”
The first phase of HS2 received Royal Assent in 2017; the first phase is expected to finish by 2026.