A conference revealing how to tender for £10billion worth of contracts on the planned high speed rail project will be held in Edinburgh today.
HS2, the biggest infrastructure project to be built in Britain for decades, will begin construction in 2017.
The projects developers have said over 160 firms working in a range of sectors have signed up to attend the event, , including companies from Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Inverness.
The event will provide specific, technical information on how companies can compete for the contracts, not just in design and construction, but on a wide array of supporting activities such as signaling and telecommunications.
HS2 Chief Executive, Simon Kirby, said: “Britain’s high speed rail network is a major, long-term project offering a huge opportunity for Scottish companies to develop the necessary staff and skills base that will position them to bid for the billions of pounds worth of contracts available throughout the supply chain during construction.
“To deliver a project of HS2’s scale and complexity requires the right companies with the right skills. I’m extremely pleased that so many firms across Scotland have signed up to find out more about how they can benefit from this huge UK infrastructure investment.”
UK Transport Minister for HS2 Robert Goodwill, said: “The UK government’s ground-breaking HS2 programme provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses across the UK, including those here in Scotland. It will create some of the largest value contracts in UK construction history, creating job opportunities throughout the supply chain.”
Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, said: “I have always maintained that we must extend the high speed rail network further and faster to Scotland in order to deliver significant economic benefits by boosting growth and providing more and better opportunities.
“Not only are the effective transport connections that a high speed rail network entails vital in ensuring that our businesses are able to compete and grow, but Scotland’s world class supply chain businesses can also play a key role in delivering this project, building skills, capability and jobs for the next generation.”
The conference will be held Thursday 5 November at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).
Speakers include: