HS2 work starts at Curzon Street

Work has begun on HS2 in Birmingham.

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling marked the start of the work on September 30 during a visit to Curzon Street, which will be the site of the railway’s sevenplatform station in the city.

“Today is an important moment in the history of rail travel in the UK,” said Grayling.

“Britain was the inventor of the modern railway, and seeing the start of work on the first railway to be built north of London for over 100 years is an incredible moment for the future of this country.”

He said HS2 would support thousands of jobs and businesses, and that a “first class skills base” would be created that Britain could “export around the world”.

Work at the site includes land preparation, archaeological works, construction of the station, and the creation of a visitor and exhibition space in the Grade 1-listed Old Curzon Street station.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “HS2 is a game changer for the West Midlands. We are already seeing businesses and investors choosing Birmingham because they know that it will be at the heart of the new network.”

HS2 said that already some 7,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the programme, and should reach a peak of 30,000.

HS2 Ltd Chairman Sir Terry Morgan said: “Serving over 25 stations and connecting over half of UK economic output, it will be a driver for economic growth across the country.”