British Steel high-speed rail contract drives UK–Türkiye trade

The British Steel high-speed rail contract worth £35 million in Türkiye was unveiled by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of the UK’s wider export drive, as detailed in a recent announcement by British Steel. Under this agreement, the company will supply rail products for the high-speed line linking Mersin with Adana, Osmaniye and Gaziantep.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

British Steel high-speed rail contract and UK export push

In practical terms, the British Steel high-speed rail contract is one element of a broader package of UK export deals worth more than £400 million, highlighted in a trade deals package from the UK Government. The contract was announced ahead of the G20 summit in Johannesberg, where the Prime Minister met leaders from Indo-Pacific and African countries to advocate for the UK’s access to fast-growing international markets and to present rail as a key export sector.

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British Steel has already delivered £30 million of rail products into high-speed projects aimed at helping to decarbonise travel in Türkiye. The new £35m British Steel rail contract for the Mersin–Adana–Osmaniye–Gaziantep rail project builds on that track record and further strengthens the company’s role in the development of Türkiye’s high-speed rail network, a theme also highlighted by Railway Supply.

Decarbonising travel in Türkiye and jobs in Scunthorpe

Lisa Coulson, British Steel’s Chief Commercial Officer, notes that securing these prestigious contracts with the support of UK Export Finance is a major achievement for the business. In her view, the British Steel high-speed rail contract and related agreements underline the company’s ability to deliver “sustainable track systems of the future” for international high-speed rail networks.

Coulson also points out that British Steel is proud to contribute to efforts to decarbonise travel in Türkiye through its rail products. She adds that the company is extremely grateful for the UK government’s backing and expresses confidence that its partnership with the operators of Türkiye’s rail infrastructure will soon secure additional orders and create new jobs in Scunthorpe, linking export growth directly to local economic benefits in the UK.

South Africa and Vietnam: wider UK rail partnerships

While in Johannesberg, the Prime Minister also visited a train depot to announce a new agreement between the UK and South Africa to provide aid in the reformation of South Africa’s rail system. As part of this cooperation, Crossrail International will provide strategic advice and consultancy services to help attract private investment into South African railways, maximise social, economic and environmental benefits, and support opportunities for British companies across the country’s rail sector.

Additionally, the UK and Vietnam have announced a new partnership to drive digital transformation across Vietnam’s rail sector. Under this collaboration, the UK will support Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction in delivering new, high-tech, sustainable rail networks, continuing the pattern of UK-backed rail export deals and international partnerships that includes the British Steel high-speed rail contract in Türkiye.

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