Birmingham to host ‘how to make the most of HS2’ conference
A brainstorming session to examine how the economies of towns and cities along the HS2 route can fully benefit from the jobs and wealth that high speed rail will create is to be held in Birmingham.
Transport Minister Baroness Kramer will be the keynote speaker at the HS2 Growth and Connectivity Conference at Millennium Point on September 12.
The West Midlands HS2 Steering Group and ULI UK, the organisers of the conference, have promised to deliver “a dynamic day examining how to maximise the opportunity and connectivity of High Speed Rail”.
The event will be led by infrastructure, real estate, government and finance experts from across Europe and the UK and will address three themes:
High Speed Rail connected to our Regions
Examining the importance of integrating HS2 into local and regional transport networks, highlight successful and challenging experiences from international good practice, with insight into the wider economic benefits associated with delivering a fully integrated high speed network.
Enabling National & International Connections
Cities across the UK have expressed their concern around the Government’s decision not to include a direct rail link between HS2 and HS1 in the Hybrid Bill. In light of the Davies Commission, regional airports are currently identifying ways of meeting growth in the UK’s air passenger demand in the short to medium terms. This session will try to shape policy and inform Government’s current thinking around the need for direct international links from a number of areas including the Midlands and the north.
HS2’s Role in enabling growth
As part of the HS2 Growth Task Force report “HS2 Ready” cities served by the railway have been invited to develop growth strategies setting out their own vision of how best to use HS2 to regenerate its local area by planning development around proposed HS2 stations and interchanges. This session will give cities and academics an opportunity to present their ambitious plans and share their thinking on what challenges and opportunities lay ahead.
The Government is claiming that HS2 will generate £59.8 billion in user benefits when the entire network is completed, as well as £13.3 billion in wider economic benefits.
Phase One of HS2, from London to Birmingham, is forecast to create 9,000 construction jobs, 1,500 permanent jobs and 30,000 jobs in station redevelopment areas in Euston, Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange and Birmingham Curzon Street.
High profile speakers at the conference include Steve Gooding, Director General for Highways, Roads and Local Transport; David Brown, Chair of the Passenger Transport Executives Group; Paul Kehoe, the CEO of Birmingham Airpor; and James Pond, Chief Advisor, DG Move European Commission.
Registration for the conference is at: http://europe.uli.org/event/uli-uk-growth-connectivity-conference/
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