04.02.16
McLoughlin officially opens HS2 Birmingham HQ
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin officially opened HS2 Ltd’s headquarters in Birmingham today, marking his visit to the heart of the network with a promise to employ over 1,000 staff, as previously revealed by RTM.
The headquarters in the city’s Colmore Business District will house a variety of staff, from engineers helping design the railway to procurement specialists.
Simon Kirby, HS2 Ltd’s CEO, had already told attendees at RTM’s TransCityRail North event last year that the company will recruit over 500 people in Birmingham over the next 18 months to join the existent 1,100 staff.
The headquarters will be situated in the heartland of the mammoth infrastructure project, with new stations expected at Curzon Street and Birmingham Interchange and one of two National Colleges for High Speed Rail at Aston Science Park.
Today’s official inauguration of the HQ also coincided with the final week of petitions in relation to the HS2 Phase 1 Hybrid Bill being heard at its select committee, marking a “significant step” towards the legislation that will provide the project with needed planning permission, according to the DfT.
Overall, the first phase of the high-speed link, between the capital and the West Midlands, is expected to support up to 14,600 construction jobs, 2,200 permanent operations and maintenance jobs, and 30,300 jobs “supported by development” around major HS2 stations.
McLoughlin said: “HS2 will rebalance our economy, helping make the Midlands an ‘engine for growth’. The official opening of the headquarters here in Birmingham is proof that HS2 is already boosting jobs and skills, and will continue to do so as we head towards construction.
“This week we have taken another step towards putting spades in the ground as the Commons Select Committee has been hearing the final petitions on the Phase 1 Bill. I would like to pay tribute to members of the Committee, as well as those who have brought forward petitions. We have listened to residents and communities and I am pleased that in many cases we have been able to make the changes they have been calling for.”
Over the last 17 months, the Select Committee has heard almost 2,600 petitions requesting alterations in the project, many of which led to changes in the Bill. It has not all been smooth sailing, however, with the project recently subject to criticism from The Woodland Trust and the HS2 Action Alliance.
(Top image: HS2 Birmingham Interchange station design)