Future of HS2 uncertain as Grant Shapps will not ‘blindly follow’ decades old-plans October 4, 2021 Speculation over the future of the eastern route of the HS2 is mounting after Grant Shapps said he is not planning to “blindly follow” plans dawn up 20 years ago. In an interview with the Financial Times today, the Transport Secretary signalled that a major rethink of the high-speed rail project between Birmingham and Leeds [...]
Northern leaders call for government to commit to HS2 in full as axe hovers over eastern leg August 26, 2021 Politicians and business leaders in the north-east of England have said that the eastern leg of HS2 to Leeds is essential to “levelling up” the country after reports emerged that the extension was set to be mothballed. A new report from the High Speed Rail Group called the delivery of the leg from Birmingham to [...]
HS2 to support 4,000 more jobs than first forecast August 24, 2021 The building of the controversial HS2 rail link will support 4,000 more jobs than previously expected, the government has today said. According to a new report from the body behind the project, HS2 will now support 34,000 jobs in total. Of the new roles, Phase 2a – linking the West Midlands to Crewe – will [...]
Kier group ‘moderately ahead of expectations’ after attempts to slash debt July 13, 2021 Infrastructure services and construction group Kier, which worked on London’s HS2, has finished the year “moderately ahead of expectations”, it said today. The group has been on the receiving end of hefty government contracts, namely a £1bn prisons contract for the Ministry of Justice, for the year ending 30 June. Kier had also accepted a [...]
HS2 faces new legal challenge from Siemens over £2.8bn contract July 1, 2021 HS2 has reportedly been hit by another legal challenge, this time by German industrial group Siemens, over a £2.8bn contract to build trains for the new rail link. The new lawsuit comes just days after the firm behind the project confirmed it had settled a previous dispute with Spanish firm Talgo out of court. The [...]
PM warned planning reforms are putting off voters in wake of Chesham & Amersham defeat June 19, 2021 Boris Johnson has been urged to rethink planning reforms in the wake of the Chesham & Amersham by-election defeat, which saw the Liberal Democrats overturn a 16,000 majority in a Tory stronghold. Writing in the Telegraph yesterday Conservative co-chairman Amanda Milling said voters’ concerns were “loud and clear” following the defeat. She said voters were [...]
New Birmingham HS2 station to cost £100m more than expected June 7, 2021 A new HS2 rail station in Birmingham will cost £100m more than originally expected, the company behind the controversial high speed rail project revealed today. Launching the procurement process to find a contractor to build Birmingham Interchange station, which is expected to open in 2026, HS2 said the contract was worth £370m. In 2019, however, [...]
Last anti-HS2 protestor removed from Euston Square Gardens tunnel February 26, 2021 The last anti-HS2 protestors have been safely removed from a tunnel underneath Euston Square Gardens, the rail firm said today. After three protestors left the tunnel yesterday, the final activist departed today, after 31 days underground. In total, nine people had hidden in the tunnel system, which had been dug in secret and was first [...]
HS2: Next phase of controversial rail link gets green light February 11, 2021 The next phase of the controversial HS2 rail link has today been approved by MPs. Lawmakers gave Royal Assent to phase 2a of the project, which connects Birmingham to Crewe. It will be built simultaneously with phase 1 of the rail line from London to the West Midlands. An additional 5,000 jobs will be supported [...]
City’s professional know-how matched with UK construction expertise could be a global titan February 11, 2021 Despite political enthusiasm for ‘Global Britain’, we are missing out on a sizeable slice of a $14 trillion a year worldwide construction market owing to a lack of collaboration between two otherwise successful industries – the built environment sector and financial/advisory services. The built environment and infrastructure sector is one of the unsung heroes of [...]