Delivering High Speed 2 is one of the most ambitious infrastructure challenges the UK has undertaken in decades.

On the EKFB section of the route, Project Director Tony Wehby is responsible for overseeing 30km of complex construction. 

In this interview with Britbuild Magazine, Wehby discusses what it takes to lead delivery at this scale, from coordinating thousands of people across multiple work fronts to maintaining programme certainty, safety and quality on a project designed to last more than a century.

You’re responsible for 30km of one of the most complex infrastructure projects in the UK. What does a typical week look like at that scale of delivery?

TW: ‘Complex’ is a great word to describe this project, and no two days are the same on High Speed 2. 

My section of the HS2 route stretches 30km from Calvert in Buckinghamshire, going North to Greatworth in West Northamptonshire – this area is known as ‘C2G’. 

Our delivery scope comprises of cuttings and embankments – designed to help hide the railway – a total of 35 bridges, five viaducts and major ecological and railway interfaces.  It’s important that I’m visible and accessible to my team, and therefore, a typical week for me is a balance of strategy and productivity meetings and time out on site. 

I spend a lot of time visiting our construction compounds and work fronts so I can stay close to progress and understand where the challenges are so that solutions are sought efficiently. My team is diverse; and on any given day, I’ll interact with project managers and supervisors, QS’s and environment managers – just to name a few.

I also spend a good amount of time reviewing programme performance, planning, and engaging with the Client, HS2 Ltd., and key stakeholders. 

My job is to make sure everyone has what they need to deliver our programme of works, productively and safely. 

With over 1,000 people working across your section, how do you structure leadership and governance to maintain control without slowing progress?

TW: During peak months, the EKFB joint venture team is made up of around 7,000 skilled people from across four parent companies – Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall – HS2 and our supply chain. 

I have a large team – approximately 1,000 staff plus 5,000 workforce on my section, spread across 30 Km from south to north, and everyone plays a vital part in building the railway. 

Safety underpins everything we do on this job, so that’s the first point to make – but this also shapes our leadership and governance style.   

We’re proud to have built an internal structure that gives ownership to the teams while maintaining strong control. Each site compound has its own leadership team responsible for day-to-day delivery, and we connect everything through weekly integrated reviews across engineering, commercial, programme and construction disciplines. Communication is highly important and we all do our jobs with an open-door policy, where anyone can ask any question or for support when needed. 

The fundamental key aspect is consistency — consistent standards, consistent communication and consistent expectations. 

I empower my team to make decisions, but we also ensure we have clear processes and assurance built in so we can keep momentum going. 

HS2 involves 140 miles of new track and extensive supporting structures. What are the most technically challenging elements on the EKFB stretch?

TW: Just on EKFB’s stretch of HS2, we’re tasked with delivering over 80 bridges, 15 viaducts and three cut and cover ‘green tunnels’. If you think of any other project in the UK right now, there’s nothing else that compares to HS2. 

Earthworks alone is a huge technical challenge – just excavating the ground to make way for the new railway has been a colossal undertaking. Ground conditions vary. From design to consents, and mobilising a team of skilled operators to dig and move this much earth is no light task.  

Last year, the team just north of C2G, shifted 1.7m cubic metres of earth in one month – that’s a record. 

On C2G, we have some of the longest cuttings on the entire route – the Calvert cutting is 2.1 miles long and the Barton Hartshorn to Mixbury cutting is 2.5 miles long. We’ve also been up against significant groundwater and hydrogeology challenges along the way.  We also have the deepest cutting in Turweston at 19m in depth.

We’re also working around multiple live rail interfaces — East West Rail, and the MCJ line — as well as sensitive ecological areas such as Sheephouse Wood in Buckinghamshire.  Add in many road realignments including the A421, A4421, A422 and A43, and the challenge becomes managing a very technical sequence of works in a tightly constrained corridor. We’re also very mindful that local businesses and people are connected and constantly moving, so minimising disruption to commuters and our local communities is something we take very seriously. 

EKFB is building some of the most impressive structures, innovating along the way and sharing learnings with the industry as we go.

How do you manage programme certainty across such a long and geographically varied route?

TW: This has been a real challenge for EKFB, and the HS2 programme as a whole. It’s particularly challenging when working in rural areas where the environment meets new infrastructure. 

Planning and consents and collaborating with local authorities adds to the complexity of delivering this railway.

For me and my team, programme certainty comes from clear planning and real-time insight, constantly monitoring progress and possible but unforeseen blockers. 

We use digital tools such as 4D modelling, dashboards and forecasting to understand exactly where we are against plan. But just as important is time spent on site with the teams, understanding production rates, risks and constraints.

We deal with a lot of variables — weather, ground conditions, access constraints — so we constantly review and refine our priorities. Certainty comes from being proactive rather than reactive.

On a project of this size, interfaces can make or break delivery. How do you manage coordination between design teams, site teams and supply chain partners?

TW: The only way to manage internal interfaces at this scale is through integration. 

Our designers, planners, construction leads and supply chain partners work as one team. 

We hold weekly interface meetings, develop clear interface control documents and use digital modelling to review and challenge the design before it reaches site.

This early collaboration removes a lot of friction later in the process. Everyone understands the constraints, the sequencing and the expectations from the outset.

Externally, our interfaces involve many stakeholders including Network Rail, National Highways, Local Highways, NGED, Anglian Water, SSE, Thames Water, BT Openreach, SGN – again, we align by working in unison.

Quality is critical on infrastructure designed to last over 100 years. What systems or checks do you have in place to ensure long-term performance is embedded from day one?

TW: Quality starts with getting the design right. We are working beyond current design life limits with a design life of 100 years, so we have developed durability standards which all construction works must comply with. The works design development is co-ordinated with project planning and temporary works design.

 Construction quality is about doing the basics right from the beginning –  Careful planning, material control, testing, traceability, competent and skilled people, accurate construction, and learning from events. 

 We use a hierarchy of detailed survey controls, drone surveys, digital ITPs, and AI dashboarding tools for real-time data capture to make sure everything is built to the correct specification. We use these processes for capturing, reviewing and correcting any remedial works required.

 It’s critically important that we can evidence that we have built correctly, inline with the approved design, and standards. This will allow us to prove that it’s safe to operate. 

For earthworks – cuttings and embankments – we monitor moisture, compaction and material classification very closely and long after initial construction, because the performance of the whole railway will ultimately rely on these assets. 

 Alongside our own assurance, our designers and HS2 carry out independent surveillance and audit checks to give another level of confidence. We are continuously learning and sharing knowledge with the other MWCC and client organisations.

What role does technology play on your section — from digital modelling to site monitoring and reporting?

TW: Technology plays a huge role in how we deliver this project and how we measure progress and success.

4D modelling helps us visualise sequencing, drone surveys give us accurate volume data, and automated monitoring allows us to track movement on embankments, cuttings and structures.

We also use digital dashboards to monitor progress, safety and logistics. These tools give us visibility we simply wouldn’t have had on a project of this scale ten or twenty years ago.

Health and safety on major civil engineering projects is always front and centre. How do you drive consistent standards across multiple work fronts and subcontractors?

TW: Safety is the first thing we talk about every day and the last thing we reflect on at the end of the shift. We set clear expectations from induction through to daily briefings, and we support that with strong supervision and visible leadership.

Consistency comes from shared standards across all compounds, regardless of subcontractor or discipline. We also use data to identify trends early so we can intervene before issues escalate. But the most important aspect is culture — people speaking up, challenging unsafe behaviour and looking out for each other.

EKFB covers a significant stretch of new alignment. How do you balance earthworks, structures and rail systems so progress remains aligned across disciplines?

TW: We plan everything collaboratively. Earthworks, structures, drainage, utilities and rail systems all have interdependencies, so we run regular alignment workshops to make sure everyone understands the sequence and the handovers.

The earthworks teams set out formation and platforms, structures follow closely behind, and drainage and utilities are integrated alongside those activities. The rail systems teams are already feeding into our planning so we can give them what they need when they need it.

With such a large workforce, culture becomes a defining factor. What does “the right culture” look like on EKFB and how do you actively shape it?

TW: The right culture is one where people feel safe, respected and proud of what they’re delivering. We encourage openness, accountability and continuous improvement. Leaders need to set the tone by being present, recognising good work and having honest conversations when things aren’t right.

When people feel valued and supported, the culture becomes self-sustaining.

Major projects can struggle with staff retention. What are you doing to ensure people stay motivated and committed for the long haul?

TW: Retention comes from giving people opportunities to grow. We rotate staff across different disciplines, encourage development and ensure individuals can progress their careers within the project.

I encourage people to upskill, and we have lots of opportunities on the project to do this. We have active centres on site so that accessibility is easy. 

We also share our achievements widely, because it’s important people can see the impact of their work. 

HS2 is a once-in-a generation project — people stay when they can see they’re part of something significant.

Looking at the engineering legacy of this project, what do you hope people will say about the EKFB section 20 or 30 years from now?

TW: I hope people say this area of works was delivered safely, with care, professionalism and pride. 

The infrastructure will outlive us all so I want the quality to speak for itself.  

But beyond the engineering, I hope we leave a positive legacy for the communities along the route whether that’s through supporting village regeneration, building new play parks, or inspiring the younger generation through our schools and careers programme.

HS2 is setting a new benchmark for how major infrastructure should be delivered in the UK and at EKFB, we’re keen to share the knowledge, innovation and improvements we’ve collated over this remarkable tenure.