HS2 Ltd has begun looking for a contractor to deliver a new transportation system and 25-year transport operation and asset maintenance contract for the project’s Automated People Mover
The Automated People Mover is designed to transport passengers between HS2’s Interchange Station, the NEC, Birmingham International rail station, Birmingham Airport, and Solihull.
The system aims to offer an efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly form of transport.
The Automated People Mover can carry 2,100 passengers per hour in each direction and will complete its journey in just six minutes.
The Automated People Mover will operate on a raised viaduct spanning 2.2 kilometres, with heights ranging from six meters to 14 meters.
This viaduct will cross important landmarks such as the NEC, West Coast Main Line, and M42 Motorway. The Automated People Mover is scheduled to be finished in time for the beginning of services at the HS2 Interchange Station.
In early 2024, shortlisted companies will receive invitations to tender. The contract for the Automated People Mover project is expected to be awarded towards the end of 2024.
The search will commence later this year, and invitations to tender will be sent out in 2025. The contract for the infrastructure is anticipated to be awarded in 2026.
The Automated People Mover can help grow the local economy
It is hoped the Interchange Station will be a catalyst for growth in Solihull and boost the area’s economy. The Interchange Station of HS2 is located in the centre of the £3.2bn Arden Cross development.
This development will include commercial and residential spaces, creating around 27,000 jobs, 3,000 homes, and 557,500 square meters of commercial space.
This project is part of the larger UK Central Hub area overseen by the Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. The development aims to support 70,000 job opportunities, construct 8,000 homes, and offer 650,000 square meters of commercial space.
Solihull will be easier to reach than ever
The area is projected to generate £6.2bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) annually and enable 1.3m people to reach the area within 45 minutes on public transport.
Five trains per hour will travel through the interchange station in both directions, providing around 175,000 seats per day. This will make the station one of the most well-connected transport interchanges in the country.
The Automated People Mover is of several HS2 developments approved for the Birmingham area. Birmingham City Council recently approved a new 150-meter segment of the HS2 viaduct, which will facilitate trains to Birmingham’s upcoming Curzon Street Station.
This truss bridge will be crossed by trains departing Birmingham and heading towards HS2’s Washwood Heath Depot.
The depot will serve as a facility for the maintenance, servicing, and storage of HS2 trains when they are not in operation. The development will also create 500 long-term job opportunities in the area.
