1,500 job HS2 headquarters to be based in Birmingham

IN a major inward investment win for Birmingham, it has been announced that the headquarters for construction of the HS2 high speed 2 rail line is to be based in the city.

HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for the £50bn project, said its new premises – at a location yet to be announced – will house up to 1,500 staff.

While some jobs would move from London, the company said, many would be new roles.

Thousands of more jobs are expected be created in the supply chain and the move could also be a catalyst for further inward investment as support service companies that win HS2-linked contracts set up operations to the city.

The new headquarters is expected to open in 2015, two years before work on phase one of HS2 is due to begin.

The jobs are expected to include engineers and designers responsible for track, signalling and station plans, as well as support staff.

The Birmingham operation will be in charge of building the track, stations and signalling as well as managing the staff needed to support their work.

The first phase of HS2 – Birmingham to London – is expected to be operational in 2026 with the second phase – linking Manchester and Leeds – following on six years later.

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Sir Albert Bore, said: “Since the industrial revolution, Birmingham has been a national capital for engineering, so it is only natural that the HS2 construction HQ be based in Birmingham.”

The move will be officially announced today by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin who is also expected to announce that a £130m scheme to take the Midland Metro to Eastside has been approved.

The extension will take tram services to the Birmingham Curzon area and link the HS2 terminus into the local transport system.