HS2 tunnels recognised at ITA Tunnelling Awards 2025

The Long Itchington Wood twin-bored tunnels on High Speed Two (HS2) have received international recognition at the 2025 ITA Tunnelling Awards in Belgrade, taking the Bronze Brunel Trophy in the Project of the Year between €100–€500 million (£85–£425 million) category.

Delivered by the Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture, the 1.6 km twin running tunnels run directly beneath the Long Itchington Wood conservation area in Warwickshire. Excavation was completed using a single Herrenknecht TBM, which bored both tunnels sequentially — a first for the HS2 programme. The first drive was completed in seven months, followed by the second in just four months, with both finished ahead of schedule.

The project’s design and construction were overseen by the Mott MacDonald | SYSTRA Joint Venture on behalf of High Speed Two Ltd, working in close coordination with Natural England, the Environment Agency, and the Canal & Rivers Trust to protect sensitive habitats and groundwater during tunnelling.

The ITA Awards jury praised the project for “technical excellence, environmental stewardship, and exceptional schedule performance under complex geotechnical and ecological constraints.”

In addition to the HS2 recognition, the UK was also represented in the Product/Equipment Innovation of the Year category, where a new polymer innovation used in the HS2 slurry and site-wide water recycling treatment plant was Highly Commended. Developed by Align JV (Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, VolkerFitzpatrick) with Herrenknecht and supplier MS, the treatment system replaced hazardous chemicals with an eco-efficient polymer, enabling 100% reuse of excavated spoil and reducing water consumption by 84%.

This year’s ITA Awards brought together more than 50 projects from 11 countries, honouring achievements in underground infrastructure across rail, metro, road, and water sectors. The top honours included:

• Technical Innovation of the Year (Gold): Cutting CO₂ emissions on Toulouse Metro Line B extension
• Major Project of the Year (Gold): Shenzhen–Zhongshan Link immersed tunnel, China (€2.7 billion / £2.3 billion)
• Elevated Thinking Underground (Gold): Venizelou Metro Station, Thessaloniki, Greece (€200 million / £170 million)

The International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) established the awards in 2015 to recognise global excellence in tunnelling and underground construction. Winners receive the Brunel Trophy, inspired by the pioneering work of Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel on London’s historic Thames Tunnel.

The 2026 ITA Tunnelling Awards will be held in Lisbon, hosted by the Portuguese Tunnelling and Underground Space Commission (CPT) from 4–6 November 2026.