Today’s announcement is much needed positive news, not only for the West Midlands but for the whole country. Large-scale infrastructure projects, such as HS2, will play a key role in restarting the national economy, helping to reinvigorate a core part, the construction industry, and demonstrating the confidence the government has in the nation’s future.
The size and scale of HS2 means the project will turbocharge the local and national economy, providing an immediate economic stimulus and contributing to long-term growth. The initial phase of construction of the high-speed rail network will create more than 16,000 jobs, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of supply chain opportunities across a wide range of sectors.
We are fortunate that the West Midlands is at the heart of the new HS2 network, home to two new high-speed stations, Curzon Street in Birmingham and Interchange at Solihull, and the national control centre located in Washwood Heath. Therefore, this announcement marks a major milestone in the project, with the construction of HS2 directly benefiting people and businesses across the region.
At a time when the global economy will need to rebuild from the economic impact of Covid19, the certainty and confidence that this announcement provides, sends out a message to investors across the world, that we are open for business and the West Midlands will have a key role to play in restoring the UK’s economic fortunes. https://mediacentre.hs2.org.uk/news/hs2-ceo-welcomes-government-approval-to-issue-notice-to-proceed-2
