HS2’s roadshow will visit towns and cities from north to south this summer, as part of a bumper programme of community-focused activity highlighting the thousands of jobs, skills, training and new business opportunities that HS2 is creating.
The roadshow will stop in Preston with an outdoor pop-up event at the Flag Market on Wednesday, 25th August from 10:00 – 19:00. A smaller indoor exhibition will also be held on the ground floor of St George’s Shopping Centre (near Marks and Spencer). The events will allow residents and visitors to find out more about the plans already underway to bring Britain’s new low carbon railway to the town.
Becoming a high-speed rail destination presents huge opportunities for Preston. As well as providing residents with faster travel to new destinations, the connectivity boost that HS2 provides will open the town to new business and leisure markets, supporting the region’s tourism sector and wider economic growth. The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership believes that productivity gains from the impact of HS2 services to the area could help provide an extra £600m for the region, and HS2 could mean 75,000 extra visitors a year, adding £3.3m to the city’s economy annually.
Experts from all areas of the HS2 project will be on hand at the roadshow event, armed with a wealth of resources to experience during the event or to take away. So, if you’re looking for a new career, or want to find out how your business might benefit from one of 400,000 contract opportunities generated from the first phase of construction works, then head down to the roadshow to find out more.
Tony Weston, Head of Projects and Events at HS2 said:
“We want Britain’s new railway to be designed and built by communities as diverse as those it will serve.
“We have an important role to play in the country’s economic recovery, so it’s more important than ever that people know how to get on board and benefit from the careers, training and new business opportunities that HS2 is creating.
“Our roadshows will allow us to get to the heart of communities and we’re looking forward to sharing information about our plans and letting people know how to keep in touch.”
HS2 is already playing an integral role in the Government’s drive to build back better from the pandemic. Over 16,000 people are currently employed in jobs supporting construction of the railway. And as HS2’s journey North begins in earnest, following the green light from Government to extend the railway to Crewe, HS2 will help to level up Britain by spreading prosperity and growth right across the regions.
In early 2022, or sooner if possible, HS2 Ltd will submit a hybrid Bill to parliament seeking powers to extend the HS2 network to Manchester. This will improve connectivity for millions more people in the Midlands and the North – right up to Scotland, creating even more opportunities for local people to secure jobs and for British businesses to win work. It’s estimated that construction of HS2 will support over 30,000 jobs and 400,000 contract opportunities – with small and medium sized enterprises expected to dominate the supply chain.
For more information about HS2’s roadshow programme, visit hs2.org.uk/roadshow-2021
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