A major joint venture contractor working on HS2 is promising to pay Buckingham Group subcontractors if they return to work this week.

The Enquirer has seen a letter sent to subcontractors by the EKFB (Eiffage,Kier,Ferrovial,BAM) joint venture after Buckingham ceased trading last week as it hunts for a buyer to save the business..

Subcontractors were stood down on Buckingham’s £120m earthworks and civils job at the Calvert North site where work is due to be completed in October 2024.

EKFB is now asking all Buckingham subcontractors to restart work this week and has promised them they will be paid directly for work if Buckingham cannot pay its bills.

It adds that all work will be guaranteed to be paid direct by EKFB from August 21 until August 31 by which time the long-term future of Buckingham will have been decided.

EKFB added that it was “working tirelessly to limit the impact of the current circumstances.”