HS2 partner joins Chamber as latest patron

Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), a joint venture which is building the West Midlands section of HS2 's Phase One route, has joined Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) as a patron.

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of the GBCC, said: “We are thrilled that an organisation that is a world leader in its sector has joined forces with the Chamber.

“Their work on HS2 in the West Midlands is helping to create Britain 's biggest infrastructure project that will positively shape the fortunes of businesses and people who live and work in the region for years to come.

“We greatly look forward to welcoming Balfour Beatty VINCI personnel to the Chamber and the wider city stakeholders and organisations. ”

Michael Dyke (pictured), chief executive officer, HS2 Major Projects at Balfour Beatty, said: “Balfour Beatty VINCI is delighted to become a patron of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, at this really exciting time for the region.

“As HS2 's construction partner for the West Midlands, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a real difference to local businesses and communities.

“We 're not just delivering 90km of railway. We 're delivering training, job opportunities and helping to grow the Midlands ' economy. We want to make sure the entire region feels the full benefit of Britain 's biggest infrastructure project, which is being built right here on its doorstep. ”

BBV is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and VINCI, responsible for designing and building part of the most exciting and challenging railway project in Europe: HS2. It isis building the West Midlands section of HS2 's Phase One route, spanning approximately 90km from Long Itchington in Warwickshire to the centre of Birmingham and on to Handsacre in Staffordshire.

Along the route, BBV will deliver a wide range of complex structures, including nine km of viaducts, 62 overbridges, 62 embankments, 35 cuttings, 28 underbridges, 11 underpasses, two twin-bored tunnels and two cut and cover tunnels.

The region is already beginning to feel the benefit of this ambitious project. Some of this is emanating from BBV having already awarded over 550 major contracts, totalling £3bn. £633m has been awarded to SMEs and £614m has been awarded to local businesses.

At the peak of the project, BBV will boast a workforce of more than 7,000 people and today, 90 per cent of the labour is sourced locally across the region.

In the past 12 months alone, BBV has delivered 74,000 training hours and the target is that apprentices will make up five per cent of the BBV workforce.

Demonstrating its commitment to the region, over 1000 people who were previously unemployed will have access to jobs, apprenticeships, skills training and work placements.

BBV 's dedicated community engagement team has pledged todeliver 80 community engagements each month during the core years of construction. They will also deliver over 40 community investment projects each year, linking people in the project with affected communities.

Today, the team routinely engages with thousands of local people, businesses, stakeholders and schools along its stretch of the route.