HS2 Ltd has begun the process of finding the right contractor to design and supply the automated people mover system that will carry passengers between Interchange Station, the NEC, Birmingham International rail station and Birmingham Airport.
The contractor will also be responsible for operation and asset maintenance for a period of 25 years.
The automated people mover system will be able to transport 2,100 passengers per hour in each direction. Travelling on the APM end-to-end will take six minutes.
The system will run on an elevated viaduct measuring 2.2km in length. The height of this viaduct will range from six to fourteen metres, crossing the NEC, the West Coast Main Line and the M42. It is to be complete and ready for passenger service in time for when services start running through Interchange Station.
“We're pleased to be starting the procurement process for the APM Systems Contract, which is worth up to 270m. GBP*. The APM is a vital piece of infrastructure in the HS2 project, connecting high-speed rail passengers to the classic rail network, and supporting the shift from car use to public, mass transit transport, which is so important in achieving the UK's target of net zero carbon.”
HS2 Ltd will shortlist companies, who will then be invited to tender early in 2024. The contract should then be awarded towards the end of that year.
The contract for the infrastructure component of the APM system is to start later this year, with invitations to tender taking place in 2025 and contract award in 2026.
There will be five trains per hour through Interchange Station in both directions, amounting to a total of ~175,000 seats per day.
Interchange Station will be built in Solihull and will sit at the heart of the planned Arden Cross mixed-use commercial and residential development with up to 3,000 homes and 557,500 square metres of commercial space.
