HS2 could bring 4,500 jobs to Curzon Street, says Chancellor

A new high-speed railway from London to Birmingham could create 4,500 jobs around the planned new station in the city centre, the Chancellor, George Osborne, has said.

Visiting the site of the proposed station at Curzon Street on 27 January, Mr Osborne said research by High Speed Two Ltd suggested that 30,000 jobs could be created by regeneration around stations along the route, more than 8,000 of them in the Birmingham area.

Jobs from regeneration

The new jobs would come from the regeneration of the areas around new stations, and would be in addition to the 10,000 jobs expected to be created by the construction of the line itself.

"These new jobs would provide work opportunities to thousands of people in Birmingham," the Chancellor said. "Returning the UK to sustainable economic growth is the Government's overriding priority. By working closely with business and investing in infrastructure projects such as High Speed 2 we can provide the certainty and stability that businesses need to grow and invest in the UK."

49 minutes to London

Under the government's plans, the new line would cut the journey time between London and Birmingham to 49 minutes. Later phases would extend the network north to Manchester and Leeds, bringing them within around 80 minutes of London, and through trains could serve cities including Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow on existing lines.

The government also argues that moving long-distance trains on to the new line would free up space on existing routes for more commuter, regional and freight services.

Curzon Street

The Birmingham terminus is planned for Curzon Street in Eastside, close to the site of the city's first railway station, which opened in 1838 as the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway. The old station building, a Grade I listed structure, still stands.

The Eastside area, once cut off from the city centre by the Masshouse Circus flyover, is already being regenerated, with Millennium Point and a new city park planned nearby. Supporters of HS2 say the station could transform the area.

Consultation

A public consultation on the proposed route between London and Birmingham is due to begin next month. The route passes through the countryside of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, and there is strong opposition from many people living along it, who fear the impact on homes, villages and the landscape.

Opponents also question whether the line is good value for money, arguing that the money could be better spent improving existing railways.

Support in Birmingham

In Birmingham, business leaders and the city council have strongly backed the scheme, arguing that it would put the city at the heart of a national high-speed network, bring investment and jobs, and help rebalance the economy away from London and the south east.

The government hopes to begin building the line later this decade, with the first trains running in the mid-2020s. The scheme will need Parliament's approval before work can start.