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Britain’s new longest railway bridge, the Colne Valley Viaduct.

Britain’s new high-speed railway

Britain’s new longest railway bridge, the Colne Valley Viaduct.

What is HS2

Boosting growth with better journeys

HS2 is Britain’s new high-speed railway — and a direct investment in the government’s number one mission: growth.

When fully operational, HS2 will connect London and Birmingham in just 49 minutes, linking our two biggest economic centres and bringing jobs, markets and opportunities closer together. Major investment is already flowing in before a single service runs.

North of Birmingham, HS2 trains connect to the West Coast Main Line, extending the benefits to the North West and Scotland.

The impact reaches further than the tracks. Passengers get faster, more reliable journeys. Businesses gain better connections to people and markets. Communities benefit from infrastructure investment and new skills. And thousands of extra seats each day will free up space across the wider network — improving local services and freight.

What HS2 means for the economy

HS2 is helping the government rebuild Britain and boost the economy. The railway is already creating jobs, benefiting businesses and boosting skills.

Construction supports around 30,000 jobs and over 3,500 UK-based businesses. This includes 2,500 small and medium-size enterprises.

By improving connections, the railway creates a corridor of economic opportunity between London and Birmingham. Developments in the West Midlands and west London willboost the economy by a total of £20 billion in the next decade.

The new railway gives people more freedom to choose where they live and work, and businesses more possibilities to trade and grow.

How we're building HS2

Watch more videos on our YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTube - Building a railway | How HS2 will take shape

HS2 works near you

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