HS2 construction gets underway as Grant Shapps says 'fantastic moment' is what northern leaders have been calling for

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the high-speed rail link will create thousands of jobs and create vital links between urban areas.

HS2 Ltd, the Government-owned company building the route between London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, would not disclose the location of the event, but it is believed the Prime Minister will attend.

Mr Johnson said: "HS2 is at the heart of our plans to build back better - and with construction now formally under way, it's set to create around 22,000 new jobs.

"As the spine of our country's transport network, the project will be vital in boosting connectivity between our towns and cities."

The four main contractors for Phase One between London and the West Midlands will now switch from enabling works, scheme design and preparatory work to full construction.

Despite it running tens of billions of pounds over budget and several years behind schedule, the PM gave the green light for the railway in February 2020. The project was given a revised budget and schedule as part of his decision. Two months' later, Ministers gave the go ahead for it to enter the construction phase.

The Government's Integrated Rail Plan, to be published later this year, will reveal how HS2 will integrate with major northern schemes like Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and the trans-Pennine route upgrade.

Yorkshire's business and civic leaders have largely backed HS2, calling for the Government to deliver the scheme in full alongside NPR, which provides east-west connectivity. But some in parts of South Yorkshire say the scheme will not benefit their area and will cause significant disruption.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps claimed the event "marks a major milestone in this Government's ambitions to build back better from Covid-19".

He went on: "Shovels in the ground to deliver this new railway means thousands of jobs building the future of our country's infrastructure.

"This fantastic moment is what leaders across the North and Midlands have called for - action to level up our country by boosting capacity on our railways, improving connections between our regions, and spreading prosperity."

Construction will begin with the biggest engineering challenges - such as the stations and tunnels - followed by the main viaducts and bridges.

Most activity this year will be focused on HS2's city centre stations and major construction compounds such as in Old Oak Common, west London and Calvert, Buckinghamshire.

HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston said: "This is a hugely exciting moment in the progress of HS2. After 10 years of development and preparatory work, today we can formally announce the start of full construction, unlocking thousands of jobs and supply chain opportunities across the project.

"We are already seeing the benefits that building HS2 is bringing to the UK economy in the short term, but it's important to emphasise how transformative the railway will be for our country when operational.

"With the start of construction, the reality of high speed journeys joining up Britain's biggest cities in the North and Midlands and using that connectivity to help level up the country has just moved a step closer."

Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership lobbying group, said: "Major infrastructure projects like HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) are already providing jobs and opportunities now in the construction phase, with jobs being supported through an early bridge contract in Darlington to future contracts for from key facilities like Skinningrove.

“They also have the potential to transform the UK economy by attracting investment and stimulating growth in the long term. We will be expecting jobs across the Northern Powerhouse to be created in significant numbers throughout the supply chain by all the contractors involved.

“It is also crucial that work starts on the Northern parts of HS2, integrated with NPR, as soon as possible. Work should be starting now on the new line starting from Leeds down to Toton on the East alongside from Manchester, through Manchester Airport and Crewe.

"Increasing capacity on the North’s rail network and better connecting our towns and cities will be vital in the economic regeneration of the Northern Powerhouse – both now and long in the future.”