HS2 construction phase promises thousands of new jobs

Prime minister Boris Johnson said the start of the construction phase is at the centre of plans to ‘build back better’ but detractors believe it will permanently displace thousands of jobs.

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In April this year the Department for Transport (DfT) approved HS2 Ltd's Notice to Proceed to the four Main Works Civils Contractors working on the project. This allowed them to commence full detailed design and construction of Phase One of HS2, which is estimated to cost between £35bn-45bn.

In a statement Johnson said: “By creating hundreds of apprenticeships and thousands of skilled jobs, HS2 will fire up economic growth and help to rebalance opportunity across this country for years to come.”

HS2’s main works contractor for the West Midlands, the Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture (BBV JV), along with its supply chain partners, said it expects to be one of the biggest recruiters in the West Midlands over the next two years, with up to 7,000 jobs required to complete its section of the HS2 route. The EKFB Joint Venture (Eiffage, Kier, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial) – building the section from the Long Itchington Wood site in Warwickshire south to the Chiltern tunnel portals, will recruit over 4,000 roles in the next two years.