23.01.18
2018: The year of opportunity for HS2
Source: Dec/Jan RTM
Momentum continues to gather pace up and down the country as this year’s major HS2 milestones begin to approach, writes John Downer, director of High Speed Rail Industry Leaders (HSRIL).
Last year saw the construction of HS2 – Britain’s brand-new high-speed railway line – truly get underway. Royal Assent was granted at the beginning of the year; significant surveying and enabling works commenced including around Euston; the National College for High Speed Rail officially opened its doors to students; and the government awarded £6.6bn in contracts to the companies who will design and construct bridges, tunnels, embankments and viaducts for Phase 1.
The transformative nature of the programme also started to take shape as Phase 2 of the route, which will extend high-speed track across the north of England, was outlined by ministers in the summer. The government also released its Industrial Strategy white paper in November, which highlighted HS2 as a critical infrastructure project for underpinning growth and contributing to productivity throughout the UK.
All in all, the project took important leaps forward and laid the foundations for the major acceleration in the programme that we will see this year as the construction begins to take shape. Work is due to start on new stations, tunnels, embankments and viaducts for Phase 1; the shortlist for HS2’s £3bn London station design deals will be announced soon; train groups will be invited to tender for HS2 Ltd’s £2.75bn rolling stock contract in April; and the new West Coast Partnership rail franchise is planned to start in December.
As momentum continues to build, we must make the most of the remarkable opportunities high-speed rail offers the UK. HS2 will not just bring faster journey times, as demonstrated by HS2 Ltd’s most recent report ‘HS2: Getting the best out of Britain,’ which argues that the improved connectivity will be a catalyst for economic growth outside London and the south east, rebalancing the economy and supporting industrial growth. It will also help rejuvenate towns and cities, interlinking businesses and markets across the supply chain.
The government has designated 2018 as the Year of Engineering – and HS2 is a showcase project. It will create jobs throughout the UK, fostering innovation and skills amongst our current and future workforce while reaffirming our leading position in delivering cutting-edge infrastructure projects on the world stage.
As industry leaders, our members welcome the commitment to HS2, look forward to its completion and envisage a long-term plan for high-speed rail in Britain that will extend the network across the north of England and to Scotland and connect to improved rail services, including Northern Powerhouse Rail and Crossrail 2.
This summer, on 12 June, HSRIL will host a conference in Leeds which will seek to highlight the far-reaching benefits of high-speed rail and its role in securing the future of rail travel in the UK, with a particular focus on bringing together ideas and expertise on how HS2 will stimulate private sector investment and economic development.
High-speed rail is a huge confidence boost for the UK economy, a significant investment in our long-term future, and is underway now. Our task is to maximise every opportunity it brings – including new skilled jobs across the country, new orders for local businesses in the supply chain, and enabling the connection of local and regional economies. There is huge potential and 2018 is the year – all of us must harness the opportunities.
Top Image: Grimshaw Architects
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W: www.rail-leaders.com