Transport Secretary Mark Harper visited the site of HS2’s new Curzon Street station on 17 July, accompanied by Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King.
The two ministers took a walk on top of the 300-metre-long viaduct that will lead into the HS2 station, to see first-hand the view passengers will witness when travelling into the city on high-speed trains. The walk marked a key construction milestone, celebrating the half-way point of the viaduct’s completion, which now has 15 of its 30 ‘V’-shaped piers in place.
The visit gave the Secretary of State the opportunity to promote a global Britain, demonstrating how the UK is leading the way on major infrastructure projects to help grow the economy, ensuring the work and learning of HS2 is extended overseas.
Catherine King explained her interest: “Australia and the United Kingdom share an ambitious vision for high-speed rail in our respective countries. The Australian Government is committed to the delivery of high-speed rail and has established the High Speed Rail Authority to oversee the development of a network along the east coast of Australia.
“The first priority of the Authority is planning and corridor works for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the network, which is backed by a $500 million funding commitment.
“The new HS2 network aims to provide additional capacity, cut carbon emissions and provide better connectivity – all important shared priorities. It was valuable to hear from our British partners on lessons learnt from developing and delivering high-speed rail in the UK, and how these might apply to Australia.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper added: “The fantastic city of Birmingham is a hive of construction, with HS2 supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs and apprenticeships, as we gear up to bring its services into the city centre over the next decade.
“As Europe’s largest infrastructure project, HS2 is being recognised globally and, alongside the Australian Transport Minister today, I take great pride in seeing this once-in-a-generation opportunity come to life, which will better connect our regions and grow the economy for years to come.”
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, who accompanied the two ministers, said: “I am pleased to join Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper and Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King to showcase the progress underway at the Curzon Street Station site.
“HS2 is already delivering tangible benefits for our region – creating jobs, drawing in investment and helping to drive up the number of cranes dotting the skyline.
“So, as we continue to work closely with government, I’m sure that we will go on attracting global investment – including from our friends in Australia – to seize the HS2 related opportunities to the full, support our region’s economy and advance prosperity for local people in the months and years ahead.”
Once built, HS2’s Curzon Street Station will be one of the most environmentally friendly stations in the world and eventually welcome nine high-speed services per hour into the city centre. With seven terminal platforms, it will form part of HS2’s opening phase, with the first services expected to run from West London into the station by 2033, serving around 25,000 passengers a day.
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