ACE co-signed a joint industry letter to the Prime Minister sent last week highlighting the importance of the major project in supporting an "industrial renaissance" in the Midlands and the North, creating more than 30,000 jobs, including 2,000 apprenticeships.

Covered in today's Times and the Birmingham Mail, the letter was signed by a number of business leaders, including ACE chief executive Hannah Vickers. Other signatories include ACE members (Costain, Mott MacDonald, Ramboll, and WSP), contractors (Balfour Beatty, Skanska, Morgan Sindall, Mace and Sir Robert McAlpine) and business groups (CBI, FSB, Build UK and CECA).

The letter also highlighted the opportunity that the project offers for the introduction of modern construction processes and methods, including offsite manufacturing. The project was pitched as an opportunity to make British engineering expertise "even more exportable". A commitment to HS2, "demonstrates this country's ambition to remain at the forefront of global engineering, infrastructure and construction delivery".

The Oakervee Review is expected to return its findings into the major project in the coming weeks, while the National Audit Office will also return the results of its investigation. Following this, the Prime Minister is expected to make a final decision on the project which has been the subject of intense public criticism by campaigners and environmentalists in the last few weeks.

Other groups also shared their views on the importance of the project over the weekend including the metro-mayors of Manchester and West Midlands, Andy Burnham and Andy Street, while the Railway Industry Association also shared a letter they sent to the Transport minister with the media.