Competition watchdog intervenes in HS2 tender race

Aaron Morby 3 years ago
Share

The UK competition watchdog has raised concern about the tender process for HS2 overhead catenary works in the light of Bouygues’ planned £6bn deal to buy rival Equans.

Companies from each of the French-owned groups are in the final stages of separately bidding for the £300m overhead power lines package.

Four bidders are in the chase including Bouygues-owned Colas Rail, Rapide JV – a consortium of Equans-owned SPL Powerlines UK/INEO and Keltbray – Balfour Beatty, and the China Railway Electrification Engineering Group Co.

The Competition and Markets Authority said that it recognised there were sufficient credible competitors for any future contracts for the installation and maintenance of high-speed catenary systems in the UK.

But as the current HS2 tender was at an advanced stage, the merging businesses could make the remainder of the tender process less competitive.

Colin Raftery, Senior Director at the CMA, said: “Competitive tenders help make sure that taxpayers get the best possible deal when large public works, like HS2, are undertaken.

“The HS2 tender for overhead catenary systems is at an advanced stage, but the remaining bidders are continuing to compete on the final aspects of the contract.

“It’s important to ensure that this process isn’t undermined, as this could result in unnecessary additional costs, ultimately leaving taxpayers worse off.”

The firms have been given five working days to submit proposals to address the CMA’s competition concerns for face an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.

 

Latest news

80 energy projects unlocked as Ofgem backs grid expansion

£24bn energy networks deal gets green light from regulator
18 hours ago

New boss at Eric Wright Civil Engineering

Gavin Hulme takes top job as Diane Bourne moves to group role
3 hours ago

Pinewood submits £1bn data centre plan

Studio giant adds green and learning spaces to tech hub blueprint
19 hours ago

Record results after TClarke goes private

Britain's biggest M&E contractor flourishes after de-listing
19 hours ago

Dalkia lands £200m nuclear maintenance deal

1,000 nuclear FM staff to join M&E contractor
18 hours ago

Construction comeback to outpace wider economy

Arcadis forecast fueled by spending review optimism
2 days ago

First steel goes up on giant car battery site

Severfield gets to work on McAlpine Somerset site
2 days ago

Permasteelisa wins cladding deal on Bovis city tower

Facade specialist lands package at 60 Gracechurch Street
18 hours ago

Fox buys recycled asphalt specialist Fisher

Acquisition adds major recycled asphalt capacity in north west
1 day ago

Major Building Safety Regulator shake-up to end tower delays

HSE stripped of control and top fire chiefs brought in to fast-track stalled schemes
2 days ago

Hinkley trio sign Sizewell civils deal

Balfour,Bouygues and Laing O'Rourke form Civil Works Alliance for new power station
2 days ago

£3.9bn data centre plan for Ravenscraig steelworks

Green energy to power massive new steel to silicon AI campus
2 days ago

Breakthrough on HS2’s second longest tunnel

8.4 mile Northolt to Old Oak Common drive completes
2 days ago

Neilcott on fast-track to debt-free employee ownership

£22.5m loan nearly paid down after big profit year
2 days ago

TfL kicks off race for £700m Tube station upgrade

South Kensington and Elephant & Castle top the pipeline list
2 days ago

Corbyn Plant Hire fleet goes under the hammer

Kit to be sold off by sister firm to collapsed groundworks contractor
2 days ago

Government wields procurement stick on late payment

New rules would block slow payers from bidding on big public jobs
5 days ago

Hercules buys power line labour firm for £15.7m

Labour supply specialist snaps up Advantage NRG to tap booming electricity upgrade market
5 days ago

Universal bid to fast-track planning for theme park

Entertainment giant eyes 2026 start at Bedford site
5 days ago

Developer Breck to transform former Ibstock brick factory

Ravenhead works to become 300-home development
5 days ago

SP Energy Networks awards contracts worth £1.4bn

First round of awards under £5.4bn national electricity grid upgrade programme
6 days ago

Travelodge to convert Liverpool Street office building

Office-to-hotel conversion in City of London
5 days ago

Plans lodged for 1m sq ft City of London office

Barbican landmark building will reuse 40% of existing structure
5 days ago

PTSG acquires roofing specialist HD Sharman Group

Premier Technical Services Group expands building maintenance division
5 days ago

Balfour Beatty lands £833m carbon capture power plant job

Work to start later this year on Teesside carbon capture gas-fired power station
6 days ago

Svella agrees deal to save Cubby Construction

Solvent purchase set to save 214 jobs and protect supply chain
6 days ago

J Coffey holds line on margins despite £52m revenue slide

Pre-tax profit down 14% but firm eyes strong pipeline to bounce back
6 days ago

Consultants called up for £2.3bn NHS SBS panel reboot

Market asked for views ahead of next-gen procurement rollout
6 days ago

Hochtief launches new UK data centre division

German business model to be introduced for UK construction
7 days ago

Construction skills body launches with 100,000 worker target

Industry to work closer with Jobcentres to find new talent
6 days ago