HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson MP recently visited the new Curzon Street Station site in Birmingham. The purpose of the visit was to formally sign the contract with Mace Dragados, the Anglo-Spanish joint venture selected to be the main contractor for the £570m build.
The equipment selected to be on show at the new HS2 station visit were the GGR Galizia G150 pick and carry crane supplied by Lifting Products UK, along with the GGR Faresin Fully Electric Telehandler, supplied by Murphy. They were selected to take pride of place in the Cleaner construction Showcase due to their high performance and emission free capabilities. Previously the GGR Faresin Fully Electric Telehandler was trialed by HS2 and supplied by Flannery.
During the visit, the contractors were able to demonstrate to the HS2 Minister, how the use of emission free machinery can be vital to the project and comply with local initiatives, with the city soon to introduce a Clean Air Zone.
HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson MP said, “This brand new HS2 station marks a huge investment in Birmingham, and is a major milestone in the Government’s plan to build back better from Covid-19.”
“As well as being a net zero carbon in operation, Birmingham Curzon Street will create over 1000 new jobs and 100 new apprenticeships. The station will make the city the beating heart of HS2 and the gateway to the North, forging better connections across the whole country.”
The Electric Telehandler, manufactured by Faresin in Italy and distributed by GGR Group in the UK, is the first fully Electric Telehandler to be introduced to the UK market. With the high-performance capabilities and numerous benefits of zero CO2 emissions and low noise levels, it is no surprise that the model now sits within the fleets of major plant hire firms in the UK and is being used on a number of high-profile projects throughout the country.
Annette Forster, Marketing Director for GGR Group said “It is fantastic to see this cutting-edge technology being used on such a vital project that is changing the landscape of infrastructure in the UK.
We can see that green technology is becoming a more popular choice in the construction industry, and with Birmingham and other cities, introducing their own Clean Air Zone initiatives, it is a key area of development for us to bring useful and innovative equipment to the market and continue to innovate our range of complete lifting solutions.”
The development of the Curzon Street Station site will continue to use a range of machinery and materials to help cut carbon emissions on this site and other HS2 sites between Birmingham and London. With the use of eco-hybrid trucks, an electric sweeper, a generator powered by hydronated vegetable oil, solar powered generators, recycled curbing and sustainable asphalt, inspiring and leading other projects, helping to achieve the UK ambition to reduce carbon emissions in the industry.