Construction of the Phase One route between Birmingham and London
is now well underway with 7,000 jobs already supported through
the project. When construction peaks, as the full network
progresses, that figure is forecast to rise to 30,000.
HS2 destinations on the Phase 2b route will benefit significantly
from the jobs and business growth that HS2 will bring to the
region. Around 2,000 companies have already been awarded
contracts working on the project, and we expect that number to
increase significantly as plans for Phase Two of the railway
progress.
This morning 2 new public consultations were launched on the
Phase 2b route, which will serve communities between the West
Midlands, Manchester and Leeds. The 10 week consultations, which
close on 21 December, will give communities the opportunity to
formally respond to HS2 Ltd’s designs and proposed mitigation
measures for the Phase 2b route. Responses are invited from the
public on HS2 Ltd’s:
- working draft Environmental Statement, which describes the
design of the railway and reports on the impacts of its
construction and operation, alongside the measures proposed to
reduce and monitor these impacts; and
- the working draft Equality Impact Assessment Report, which
considers the potential effects of the construction and operation
of the railway on people with protected characteristics.
The public consultations will be supported by a programme of community
events, which will see teams from HS2 Ltd visit locations
across the eastern and western legs of the Phase 2b route to talk
to people about the design plans and the benefits that Britain’s
new high speed railway will bring.
Leonie Dubois, HS2 Ltd’s Head of Consultation and Engagement,
said:
HS2 is coming to the north and it will reap significant
benefits as a result. High speed rail will play a crucial role
in rebalancing Britain’s economy; driving business growth,
stimulating investment and creating jobs right across the
country.
Through the public consultations, we are providing a more
detailed account of how we propose to build the railway and
minimise its impacts during construction and operation. We
actively encourage people to have their say on the plans we
have published today.
Residents and businesses across the Phase 2b route are invited to
view the latest designs and respond to the public
consultations. A new online resourcehas
been created to help people find information about HS2 in their
local area.
