HS2 Hybrid Bill a major milestone, say business leaders

BUSINESS leaders have hailed the introduction of the HS2 Hybrid Bill in Parliament as an historic day for rail in the West Midlands.

The legislation, published today, allows the Government to build a high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham. It is the lengthiest Bill the country has ever seen, stretching to 55,000 pages.

The Bill details what ministers would like to build and the impact the first phase of HS2 – linking Birmingham and London via 225mph trains from 2026 – will have on the environment.

Building work on the scheme is due to start in 2016 but politicians will now spend years debating it. 

A special committee will be set up to hear from many of those who will be directly affected by the line before MPs vote on the matter.

If MPs pass the bill, it gives the Government the power to start buying up houses and land regardless of whether the owner wants to sell.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Real progress is being made and this is an exciting time for our region. The West Midlands is at the heart of the high speed rail network and the latest economic research reveals we stand to benefit the most.

“We are determined to ensure we deliver the maximum benefits from the line, not just for Birmingham itself but for the whole of the city region.”

Sir Albert said research concluded HS2 would deliver 51,000 jobs and £4.1bn per year to the West Midlands.

The Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership described the Bill as a key milestone for the project, moving it from aspiration to reality.

Andrew Cleaves, GBSLEP board director with responsibility for transport, said: “The publication of the Hybrid Bill today marks an important milestone on the journey to the creation of a high speed rail network that Greater Birmingham will be at the heart of.

“At a time when we can see clear signs that our economic recovery is gaining momentum, it is important that we look to the long term.

“HS2 provides a once in a generation opportunity to produce a step change in the economic future of Greater Birmingham.

“We are already looking ahead to what we can do here in Greater Birmingham to maximise the benefits, for example through our submission to the Local Growth Fund.

“The Government¹s determination to press on with HS2 is to be applauded and we urge them to go even further and to accelerate the project, so that we might begin to enjoy the benefits sooner.”

Geoff Inskip, chief executive of regional transport authority Centro, said the introduction of the Bill was an important date and demonstrated the determination of the main political parties and organisations and individuals across the UK to build HS2.

“HS2 will deliver jobs and opportunities and address problems with capacity as demand for rail continues to soar. It will benefit people across our region and throughout the UK.”

And Jerry Blackett, CEO of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said: “Business is right behind high speed rail and excited about the opportunities this massive project brings – so the introduction of the Bill is an exciting development for us.”

Meanwhile, a new report has called for a focus on greater connectivity between stops on the HS2 route and their surrounding locations.

The contributors have called for HS2’s integration with existing networks and public transport services, to ensure HS2 delivers against its economic case.

Writing in the Key Connections report, Birmingham City Council’s Sir Albert Bore said: “Plugging-in HS2 so that it forms a seamless connection with public realm and transport networks will require potentially radical thinking and some bold decisions.”

But UK public transport operator, Keolis, which has published the report, has warned that regions like the West Midlands need certainty as soon as possible that the project will go ahead so that they can deliver additional investments in good time. 

Alistair Gordon, Keolis UK’s chief executive, said: “While the current debate around HS2 has focused squarely on the challenges of building the line itself, cities and regions along the route will need to take some major decisions today if they are to properly integrate tomorrow.