A lot has changed in the weeks since Boris Johnson announced that our new high speed rail line HS2 had finally been given the go ahead. Preliminary work had already started on phase one of the £106bn project. Land had started to be cleared and buildings levelled, but as we struggled with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic a review of safety left HS2 sites inactive.
Now however, the government has officially confirmed that contractors can “start work immediately” on phase one. By giving the green light to such a major UK project the government has not only provided all the contractors and their suppliers with business at a time when the UK economy has literally ground to a halt but also gives the whole country a clear message that despite coronavirus we cannot as a country come to a complete stand still.
To all the construction workers who will help design and construct all the viaducts, tunnels, embankments and bridges associated with HS2 it also provides job security during very uncertain times. To allow work to start, although we are still in lockdown, the government has said that new coronavirus safety guidelines issued by Public Health England have to be followed.
New rules to be followed on all construction sites include ensuring there is a minimum distance of two metres between workers at all times, not having more than one person in a vehicle unless agreed beforehand and the requirement to provide hand washing facilities.
HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston said: “In these difficult times, today’s announcement represents both an immediate boost to the construction industry – and the many millions of UK jobs that the industry supports – and an important investment in Britain’s future: levelling up the country, improving our transport network and changing the way we travel to help bring down carbon emissions and improve air quality for the next generation.”