Eiffage : Kier and Eiffage are pursuing the delivery of HS2 in a 50/50 partnership and are offering to employ Carillion HS2 team

Kier and Eiffage, who were in joint venture with Carillion to deliver £1.4bn of projects in the HS2 programme, confirm that they are offering employment to the 51 Carillion employees including apprentices, currently working on the HS2 joint venture.

Eiffage and Kier, now working in a 50/50 joint venture partnership, are delivering two of the seven civil engineering packages, lots C2 and C3. The Kier and Eiffage joint venture collectively boasts specialist expertise in the design, construction, operation, financing and maintenance of railway networks, including high speed rail systems, spanning across the UK and in Europe.

Lot C2 will see the construction of the north portal Chiltern tunnels to Brackley in an £724m project, while Lot C3 is for the £616m Brackley to Long Itchington Wood Green tunnel south portal.

The design phase of work began on these projects last year and the project as a whole is expected to take between four and five years to complete.

Haydn Mursell, Kier chief executive, said: 'We have been working collaboratively with our client HS2 to reach a solution, which has been ratified by Government. We are pleased to offer continuity of employment to all the 51 Carillion employees including apprentices, currently working as part of the HS2 joint venture team, and we will step in to ensure continuity of delivery of the programme'.

'The joint venture teams from Eiffage, Kier and Carillion have all worked incredibly well together, collaborating to produce a strong and successful bid. I look forward to welcoming all new employees and have confidence in the continued successful delivery of this project' adds Benoît de Ruffray, Eiffage Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Read the press release