Mayor: HS2 at heart of fightback against Covid

HS2 will be at the heart of the region’s ‘fightback’ after the damage wrought to the economy by lockdown and Covid-19.

That was the message from West Midlands Mayor Andy Street as he made a rallying cry for small and medium-sized companies to stake a claim to the hundreds of thousands of contracts HS2 is set to create.

Hundreds of people dialled into the event on Wednesday for a briefing on the 400,000 supply chain opportunities linked to the first phase of the cross-country transport link. The briefing heard from key players involved in the scheme, weeks after the Prime Minister visited Solihull to hail the official start of construction.

Mr Street said that the West Midlands had suffered immensely because of the recent turmoil, but he saw the project as key to rebuilding after “a hard kick”.

He added: “We know our region is particularly vulnerable to Covid because of the mix of its economy – manufacturing, higher education, business tourism or exhibitions, all sectors under pressure. So we know we have got a real challenge... HS2 is right at the heart of that fightback.

“If it was important before Covid it is even more important now, because we have got literally tens of billions of pounds being spent in this region.”

The mayor highlighted the regeneration that HS2 would drive at sites including Birmingham’s Eastside and UK Central, in Solihull, and connections to the local rail network.

“In tough times perhaps HS2 is one very bright spot at the end of a tunnel. It’s a long time until the tunnel is completed and built and we’re all celebrating the first train... but there are so many opportunities along the way.”

To date around £18 billion worth of contracts have already been announced, with the sum set to have grown to £25 billion by 2022.

The event was organised to make SMEs in the region aware of some of the work that will be up for grabs and how they can compete.

It was the brainchild of the Mayor, who had first floated the idea back in April.

It had been hoped that by the autumn delegates would be able to meet in person but the continuing coronavirus crisis meant that the summit was a virtual gathering.

There were presentations by HS2’s chief executive, Mark Thurston, key contractors and Concept, an engineering consultants with a base in Coventry, which has already secured a contract.

While much of the work is tied to the construction of viaducts, bridges and other infrastructure, the summit was told there would also be a range of opportunities in other sectors, such as food and catering and the hotel trade.

The HS2 scheme has been hailed by business chiefs as a chance to increase rail capacity and create more opportunities in regions outside London.

However, critics continue to raise concerns about its spiralling budget, with an admission this week that another £800 million in costs were needed.

There is also continuing concern among environmental campaigners about the damage that works will do to the natural landscape, with areas of ancient woodland and other habitats being cleared to make way for the line.

For more details go to: www.hs2. org.uk/building-hs2/supply-chain/