Umbrella contractors in the construction industry could be amongst those to benefit from the government’s decision to let the High Speed Two rail link go ahead. It is thought that HS2 could lead to the creation of as many as sixty thousand jobs.
HS2 Ltd released a statement saying thousands of jobs will be created by the scheme, while a leaflet from the Department for Transport optimistically says that tens of thousands of new opportunities will be forthcoming, particularly at West London’s Old Oak Common and Eastside in Birmingham.
Last November, a government transport committee said that HS2 would create 40,000 jobs in London. Around half of these will be at Old Oak Common, which is in the Hammersmith and Fulham borough.
Colin Buchanan, a town planner, says the project has the potential to create more than 115,000 employment opportunities across North-West London. HS2 is expected to create a further 22,000 jobs in the West Midlands.
Councillor Mark Loveday explained that HS2 will deliver much needed employment opportunities in one of the poorest areas of London and the government recognised that the case for an interchange at Old Oak was overwhelming. According to a spokesman from Hammersmith and Fulham, the area around Old Oak has an unemployment rate of around 50% and some parts class as most deprived.
The leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, says HS2 is probably the most important opportunity the region has seen for economic growth for generations.
Construction of HS2 is scheduled to begin in 2017 and should be operational in 2026.
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