Arup wins HS2 environmental overview services

Arup this month won a contract for provision of environmental overview services for the UK’s HS2 rail link. Supported in its role by URS Scott Wilson, the GBP 7M (USD 11.1M) award was the first ‘Lot Three Environmental Services’ contract awarded by the client.

Arup will coordinate and provide ‘technical leadership’ to the winners of the remaining four packages to produce an overall environmental statement from their impact assessments.

The four remaining impact assessment packages to be awarded under lot three will cover: natural environment, i.e. biodiversity, water, geology and visual impact; historic environment, i.e. built heritage and archaeology; built environment, i.e. townscape, traffic an transport, waste and planning policy; and finally community, i.e. noise, air quality, community, property and agriculture. The contract began on 13 February and will last until the end of 2013.

Arup global rail leader Colin Stewart said, “Arup has been working with HS2 since May 2009, conducting the initial route engineering studies. We are very pleased to be helping implement the next stage of this project and to help make integrated, high speed rail a reality for the UK.”