HS2

Work has begun on HS2’s Interchange station site near Birmingham Airport

The site is situated within a triangle of land between the M42, A45 and A452. Current work includes construction of linked bridges over the M42 and A446, and reshaping of the road network in the area to facilitate access to the new station, as well as easing access to and from Birmingham Business Park.

Graduates and apprentices and 200 other employees are working on the site, from HS2’s Early Works contractor LM, a joint venture between Laing O’Rourke and Murphy.

This is set to increase to 250 people over the coming months as the construction of new bridges and access roads ramps up.

The regeneration plans are being led by the Urban Growth Company, who will support 70,000 new and current jobs, 5,000 new homes and 650,000 square meters of commercial space, generating a further £6.2bn GVA per year and bringing 1.3m people to within a 45-minute commute of the station.

An Automated People Mover will link to the NEC, Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport, carrying up to 2,100 passengers per hour in each direction, with a link every 3 minutes along a 2.3-kilometre route.

HS2 Lt’d Stations Director, Matthew Botelle, said: “It’s really exciting to see how much progress has been made on our Interchange site since early works started last summer. For the team working on one of the project’s biggest construction sites, it’s great to see it developing by the day, with bridges and roads already being built, paving the way for construction of the railway.

“As a transformational project, HS2 will play a pivotal role in creating regeneration opportunities around the station, with plans for new jobs, homes and commercial space resulting in a huge boost to the regional economy.”

LM Project Director, Simon Russell, said: “Much of our early works programme has now been completed on the site by the LM team, including habitat creation, archaeological investigations, site clearance, and utilities diversions.

“We are now pressing ahead with the project’s first permanent works near the A452, A45 and M42, including a bridge over the M42. Our modular bridge construction strategy showcases innovative British infrastructure engineering at its best – major components manufactured offsite and assembled onsite, where they’re needed - ensuring quality, efficiency, and hugely reducing local impacts.”

Images: GOV.uk