New institute and HS2 depot 'will make Leeds a global centre for high-speed rail'

A new HS2 rolling-stock depot and university institute will make Leeds “a global centre for high-speed rail research and development”, project leaders have claimed.

The depot will provide 24-hour maintenance for the new high-speed railway. The facility will create up to 125 skilled jobs in the Aire Valley area of Leeds.

It will play “a crucial role in maintaining the new high-speed trains and delivering significantly better journeys for passengers,” said transport secretary Chris Grayling.

“The depot will act as an economic catalyst, creating skilled jobs, boosting the local economy by unlocking regeneration opportunities and driving continued investment.”

The railway’s route 2b line will link Birmingham with Leeds. Construction is expected from early 2024 onwards, with the delivery of the first trains for infrastructure testing in mid-2031 and the first full services in late 2033.         

The HS2 project is committed to creating 100,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships, with the National Colleges for High Speed Rail in Doncaster and Birmingham able to train 1,200 students per year at full capacity. And the University of Leeds’ new Institute for High Speed Rail and Systems Integration will train postgraduate engineers on masters and PhD courses.

Governments have gone through years of controversy and legal challenges to build the high-speed service. Critics say the project, officially expected to cost £55.7bn, will bring negligible time-saving benefits while wreaking environmental havoc and forcing people from their homes.

The government says the trains will increase network capacity and slash travel times from London to Manchester to just 67 minutes, supporting the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine initiatives. HS2 services will connect more than 25 destinations and 30 million people, serving existing stations in cities such as Glasgow and Liverpool.