Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

CoronavirusEconomics, government & businessLatest NewsHealth and safetyJob creation and losses

Construction companies can begin work on HS2

by Jo Faragher 15 Apr 2020
by Jo Faragher 15 Apr 2020 The HS2 construction site in Euston, London
Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images
The HS2 construction site in Euston, London
Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images

Construction workers have been given the green light to start work on the HS2 high-speed rail link, providing they abide by Public Health England guidance.

HS2 minister Andrew Stephenson said that “we cannot delay work on our long-term plan to level up the country”, and formally issued a ‘notice to proceed’ to the companies involved in the design and construction of the new railway.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had already confirmed in February that the project should go ahead, after it had been subject to an independent review by renowned civil engineer Douglas Oakervee into its viability.

The government has advised that construction work can go ahead where social distancing guidelines (keeping two metres apart) are followed and workers take further precautionary measures such as more regular handwashing, working in smaller teams and not mixing crew members on different shifts.

Last month HS2 announced that it had paused work on the majority of its sites as coronavirus measures required that all non-essential construction work come to a standstill.

Stephenson said: “HS2 will be the spine of the country’s transport network, boosting capacity and connectivity while also rebalancing opportunity fairly across our towns and cities.

“Following the decision earlier this year to proceed with the project, this next step provides thousands of construction workers and businesses across the country with certainty at a time when they need it, and means that work can truly begin on delivering this transformational project.”

The notice to proceed has been given to the four Main Works Civils Contractors who were awarded the work: SCS Railways; Align JV; EKFB JV; and BBV JV. All are joint ventures working through both large and small construction and engineering companies.

Phase one will link up London and the West Midlands.

HS2 estimates that phase one alone will create 400,000 “supply chain contract opportunities for UK businesses”, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, with two-thirds of opportunities going to SMEs.

Mark Thurston, HS2’s CEO said the announcement was an “immediate boost” to the construction industry in difficult times.

“HS2 has been over ten years in development and design. While the country’s focus is rightly on defeating COVID-19, the issuing of Notice to Proceed today ensures that our contractors and their supply chains have the confidence that they can commit to building HS2, generating thousands of skilled jobs across the country as we recover from the pandemic.”

Tony Gates, managing director at Sir Robert McAlpine, one of the companies involved in the Align joint venture, added: “The notice to proceed is, of course, welcome news not just for Sir Robert McAlpine, but for the country as a whole. This is an investment not just into vital infrastructure, but into the creation of thousands of jobs for UK workers. The skills and experiences those working on the project will pick up will be hugely important for helping tackle future engineering challenges.

“As we tackle an ambitious plan, which includes a landmark viaduct and twin-bored tunnel, we have an opportunity to not just demonstrate the technical excellence that marks out this country’s construction sector, but also the seamless collaboration between parties required to deliver Europe’s largest infrastructure project.”

Once operational, it’s estimated that the link will create 500,000 extra jobs and 90,000 homes around HS2 stations. The main routes will link London with stations in the Midlands, Leeds and Manchester, and there will be additional HS2 services on lines to Glasgow, Newcastle and Liverpool.

HR jobs in construction and property on Personnel Today

Browse more HR jobs in construction and property

Jo Faragher
Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
Oasis and Warehouse in administration as sale talks collapse
next post
Gay engineer awarded £175k for ‘nightmare’ treatment after coming out

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Davos 2022: ‘Invest in social jobs to save...

27 May 2022

P&O Ferries boss denies reputational damage after mass...

27 May 2022

Why Can’t Managers Manage? Chris Roebuck talks to...

27 May 2022

Parliament launches UK labour market inquiry

27 May 2022

Menopausal worker loses sex and disability discrimination claim

27 May 2022

Employers must help employees ‘flourish’ post-pandemic

27 May 2022

Age remains a barrier to upskilling finds research

27 May 2022

‘Inequality is embedded in our labour market’ says...

27 May 2022

More than £1bn of upskilling loan money has...

26 May 2022

Monkeypox advice for employers: working from home and...

26 May 2022
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today