The long journey to ‘High Speed 2’

The subject of HS2, its construction and conflict it has caused has been heavily covered in the media over the last few years. Controversial for some but essential for railway development, HS2 Phase One (linking London and Birmingham) has been split into three sections, North, Central and South with each part worth £3m and lasting 4 years (with an option of a 2 year extension). Phase Two that will link Birmingham with Manchester and Leeds will follow this. The bidding wars for contracts in Phase One have begun with all applications required to be in by 23^rd April via the electronic tender service. The first ‘High Speed’ (HS1) was in fact the Channel Tunnel rail link.  From announcement to completion of the 68 miles route, it took 16 years. The HS2 route will be 330 miles, which gives a small indication to the time scale of this project. The planned HS2 line will connect London with the north of England. With such a huge distance to cover, it is no wonder the cost of such a huge scale project goes well into the billions. The official figure for the cost of Phases 1 and 2 of HS2 is £50 billion however it is thought this could spiral as far as £138 billion. With an already mounting overall cost, it has now come to light that since original plans in 2011, rail construction workers have had a weekly pay increase of 74% which continues to push up the initial cost prediction. The UK’s three main political parties Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats support the overall plans for HS2 joining a large number of city councils and the Scottish Government who are keen to reduce journey times from London to Scotland to below 3 hours. As well as developing transport links, the project will bring a large number of jobs both directly and indirectly. Although supported by a range of high profile figures, the repercussions of the build on the locals whose land and buildings the track will run over have ensured their voices have been heard at various meetings and hearings. HS2 planners are keen to ensure minimal impact of the project on communities with the use of barriers and tunnels to prevent both eyesores on the landscape and noise pollution; however there remains to be a large quantity of individuals whose entire livelihoods will be affected. As it stands, HS2 looks to be one of the most ambitious engineering projects ever carried out in the UK. For the construction industry, the HS2 plans (and more recently HS3) will provide huge development in the country’s infrastructure as well as providing a significant boost for the construction sector by creating thousands of new jobs. For all your construction supplies, check out our website or call us on 020 8311 1144 for further help and assistance. Order up to 6pm for next morning delivery!