Sustainability honour for contractor

HS2’s main contractor EKFB has become the first joint venture across the construction industry to win a national award for its efforts to lower emissions and cut carbon at its major sites.

The honour comes from the Supply Chain Sustainability School, launched in 2012 and led by directors from many of the industry’s top businesses. It provides free practical training to over 50,000 users, and recognises companies that strive to improve air quality and make workplaces safer for their workforces.

EKFB (Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall) has used retrofit technology on non-road mobile machinery, conducted trials with vegetable oils, and introduced electric machinery and hydrogen-powered generators. It wants to be dieselfree by 2029 and achieve net zero carbon from 2035.

Temporary construction routes created for HS2 could be turned into traffic-free cycle and walking routes, says HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson.

If adopted, they would connect rural communities and other cycle proposals to provide a wider active travel network along the spine of HS2.

“Promoting active travel along the HS2 route and at stations is a key priority for me,” he said.

“To ensure that opportunities for lasting legacy improvements are realised, I have asked HS2 Ltd to explore the potential for the re-purposing of temporary construction routes.”

He has also asked HS2 Ltd to upgrade active travel provisions at 12 locations across Phase 1 (London-Birmingham).