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HS2 work on London to Birmingham route to begin in Spring

Work on the UK’s biggest infrastructure undertaking in decades, the HS2 rail project, is to get underway after the HS2 Bill finally received Royal Assent following three years under parliamentary scrutiny.

It means that phase one of the project, which will entail construction along the route between London and Birmingham, can now get underway in the Spring, with the line tipped to be fully operational by 2026.

Subsequent phases will stretch the network into Manchester and Leeds city centres by 2033 with commuters benefitting from high speed services from the capital to the northern centres, although there are no plans for the line to progress further north.

Following the passing of today’s bill, which saw 399 MPs voting in favour and 49 against, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling hailed the move as a landmark moment for the UK that would be a ‘massive boost’ to the UK’s ‘future economic prosperity’.

He commented: “HS2 will be the world’s most advanced passenger railway and the backbone of our rail network. Royal Assent is a major step towards significantly increasing capacity on our congested railways for both passengers and freight; improving connections between the biggest cities and regions; generating jobs, skills and economic growth and helping build an economy that works for all.”

The government claims that 25,000 construction jobs will be created during the life of the project, along with 2,000 apprenticeships, while the UK-wide economic boost will help to create 100,000 local jobs across the country.

Coming in at an estimated £56bn, the project is certainly not cheap, and has drawn criticism for the fact that it will still not service the whole of the UK, although the Government has argued that stations outside of the HS2 line will still benefit from improved journey times.

As part of the works, the Transport Secretary also revealed that £70m-worth of schemes supporting local communities affected by the HS2 works would now be activated, including the Homeowner Payment scheme and Community and Environment Fund.

Despite the criticisms and concerns about local disruption, David Higgins, Chairman of HS2 described today’s develop as a significant step in bringing the UK’s rail system into the 21st Century: “Achieving Royal Assent for Phase One of HS2 between Birmingham and London with such significant parliamentary support, is a monumental step in transforming rail travel in Britain.

“We have a long journey ahead of us to build the railway and secure permission for Phase Two to make sure that the full benefits of HS2 are realised.”

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