Contractors are being asked to fill in a questionnaire to gauge market interest in the scheme and whether firms would prefer a one or two stage design and build deal.

The move follows a series of bidding problems on other HS2 jobs.

The bid race for the flagship £435m Curzon Street Station was restarted this summer due to a lack of interest from contractors.

And a shortage of bidders for a £1.5bn track and overhead power deal also forced HS2 procurement chiefs back to the drawing board.

Contractors are now being asked to take a survey here ahead of an OJEU notice being published for the Interchange Station in the first half of next year.

A contract award is expected at the start of 2022.

The Oakervee Review into the future of HS2 is expected to be published early next year.