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China pledges to invest in HS2 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has offered to invest in a proposal to build connections from the Birmingham Interchange station to the airport, as well as cities such as Coventry and Peterborough. Downing Street is reported to
have been surprised by the news, and stated that the majority of investment will come from British taxpayers. The proposal would restore seven miles of track on the disused Victorian line between Hampton-in-Arden and Whitacre Junction in north Warwickshire. The offer was made in a letter to the leader of Birmingham City Council and an official at China Railway Group confirmed its interest in the project - the company is said to have been attracted to a proposal put forward by two businessmen from the Midlands.
Head of Network Rail Scotland quits Route managing director David Simpson has left NR Scotland after The Scotsman revealed alleged irregularities over the promotion of Anne-Marie Harmon, one of its executive group of senior managers. Harmon was promoted in 2012 from being Scotland route performance manager to change programme manager. Simpson was believed to have
‘failed to follow proper procedures’ in appointing Harmon to the role. Ms Harmon will be returning to work according to NR.
Good to talk Eurotunnel and mobile telephone operators EE (formed following the merger of Orange and T-Mobile in the UK) and Vodafone have signed a 10-year agreement to offer mobile services in the Channel Tunnel. Customers who are travelling
on both Le Shuttle and high speed passenger trains will have access to 2G and 3G services in the north tunnel (UK to France) via their mobile phone or
Further education college will train workforce needed to build High Speed 2
lans for a new college to train the next generation of world- class engineers to work on the construction of HS2 have been unveiled. The college, set to open in 2017 when construction of HS2 begins, will deliver the specialised training and qualifications needed for high speed rail and other future infrastructure projects across the country.
P Secretary of State for Business
Vince Cable said: ‘HS2 is the biggest infrastructure project that this government is delivering. So it is right that a large scale investment in bricks and mortar should also come with investment in the elite skills which will help build it. That’s why this government is launching the first further education college in over 20 years, which will train the next generation of engineers in rail, construction and environmental studies that this country needs to prosper.’ Secretary of State for Transport
Patrick McLoughlin said: ‘HS2 will not only help businesses expand, creating employment; it will also give young people opportunities to get new skills, get a job and a career, become more secure and get on in life. When open, it is predicted that HS2 will underpin the delivery of 400,000 jobs.’
Cutting-edge technology
The new college will provide training in how to make the most of cutting- edge technology and use state-of-the- art equipment to deliver programmes designed specifically for the HS2 project. It will also build relationships with a network of affiliated facilities, including existing colleges, private training providers, HE institutions and major supply networks off route. Learners from across the country will have opportunities to become involved and work along the line.
The announcement was made during a visit to the Old Oak Common railway depot by Skills and Enterprise minister Matthew Hancock. He said: ‘It is vital we act now to ensure we have enough skilled people to build HS2 and make sure as many jobs as possible are local. This new elite institution with a specific focus on rail construction and maintenance will give learners new skills which respond not only to the needs of HS2, but also to the future of rail engineering so is vital
Page 8 February 2014
for Britain’s future.’ HS2 chairman David Higgins said: ‘This country produces some of the best engineers to be found anywhere in the world. The problem is that there aren’t enough of them, and there isn’t a long enough guaranteed work-stream to keep them here. So they tend to go overseas. HS2 provides us with a unique chance to address both issues. The sheer length of the project means we can offer people a rewarding career in engineering staying in this country, while the multiplicity of skills required means we will be equipping a new generation with experience at the cutting-edge of technology. So HS2 gives us the chance not just to re-balance the economic geography of the country, but also our national skills base. It is an opportunity we should seize.’
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) director general Nick Baveystock, said: ‘This is exactly the sort of forward thinking on our skills and capabilities that we want to see from government, sitting alongside its work on the future infrastructure project pipeline. ‘We look forward to receiving more detail on the initiative, including what will happen to the college after HS2 is complete, and how it will work in conjunction with other similar schemes - such as the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering and the Tunnelling Academy established by Crossrail - to ensure efforts are joined up and the benefits are maximised.’
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