Rail engineering consultancies Ayesa Engineering from Spain and Egis from France have been appointed to support the Ferrovial Bam Joint Venture in the delivery of track infrastructure for High Speed 2.
The appointment of Ayesa-Egis JV follows the selection by HS2 Ltd of Ferrovial Bam as principal contractor for Track Systems Lots 1, 2, and 3, under a contract that forms part of HS2鈥檚 wider 拢3bn rail systems portfolio. Ferrovial is a Spanish company; Bam is Dutch.
The Ayesa-Egis JV will support the delivery of the Track Urban, Open Route Central and Open Route North sections of the main line, bringing Spanish and French practice to HS2,. These sections represent the majority of the track along HS2鈥檚 140-mile route between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street.
Ayesa-Egis JV will provide engineering support across complex slab track systems, tunnel and bridge interfaces, and systems integration and assurance.
Spanish and French engineers have had significant input into the design of the UK鈥檚 flagship infrastructure project, despite evidence to suggest that British engineers may have been a safer bet. In the UK since 2020 there have six fatalities on the (domestically-designed) railway network and 49 people injured. On Spain鈥檚 network, over the same period, there have been 54 people killed and more than 430 injured. This is despite the UK having roughly double the rail passenger traffic that Spain has, according to the International Union of Railways.
France has a better record on this basis, despite logging 140 significant railway accidents in 2024 alone, ranking as the third highest in the European Union behind Germany and Poland, according to Eurostat.
Ayesa Engineering director Luis Sanchez Carreto said: 鈥淒rawing on decades of experience across Europe鈥檚 high-speed rail networks, we鈥檙e bringing engineering innovation and design rigour to support the delivery of this complex and vital transport corridor.鈥�
Tim Galvani, transportation managing director of Egis in the UK, said: 鈥淎round the world, Egis has delivered major rail programmes by combining global expertise with the strengths of our local teams and trusted partners. This appointment continues that approach and we look forward to working alongside Ayesa to bring proven capability, shared ambition and collaborative delivery to one of the UK鈥檚 most important infrastructure projects.鈥�
Ferrovial Bam lead technical director Jose Candel said: "Delivering HS2鈥檚 track systems is a critical milestone in creating the UK鈥檚 first high-speed rail network. Partnering with Ayesa Engineering and Egis brings world-class expertise and proven experience to this complex programme, ensuring we deliver a resilient, high-performing rail corridor that meets the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and innovation. Together, we are committed to shaping a transformative transport link that will serve generations to come."
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