Chambers of Commerce throw weight behind plan for HS2 college in region

A bid has gone to the Government for Doncaster to host the new high speed rail college.

Now chambers of commerce from across the region have given their support to the plan.

Yorkshire and the Humber’s Chambers of Commerce collectively represent around 10,000 businesses across the region.Phil Harris, the chief executive of the town’s chamber of commerce said: “I consider Doncaster an ideal location due to its extensive experience in railways coupled with the wider city region capability and experience in delivering major civil engineering projects.”

Nigel Foster, president of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce said: “We believe that developing these skills in South Yorkshire will support the wider transformational agenda to grow the economy and increase prosperity, and will create an intergenerational skills and employment base that will help to deliver vital investment in the UK as well as export opportunities overseas.

“Its central location in the UK with excellent connectivity to other key manufacturing and industrial sectors as well as the central position in the UK railway network makes it the best location for this crucial training and skills college.”

Doncaster’s was the only bid from Yorkshire to make the shortlist. The South Yorkshire town is competing against three other bids from Birmingham, Derby and Manchester to land the college.

It is hoped the college will help turn the UK into a world leader in high speed rail engineering.