High-speed rail and skills dividend for region – The Yorkshire Post says

THE awarding of a prestigious £40m contract by Siemens Mobility to Yorkshire-based GMI Construction Group is far more than a vote of confidence in this region. It is also an investment in the county’s future.
An aerila photo of the planned Siemens rail depot at Goole.An aerila photo of the planned Siemens rail depot at Goole.
An aerila photo of the planned Siemens rail depot at Goole.

This deal will see GMI build the new railway track at Goole to service the state-of-the-art train manufacturing plant currently being developed by Siemens in a landmark £200m development.

Yet the fact that such a significant contract has been handed to Leeds-based GMI, a firm committed to training local engineers and utilising from this region, illustrates, once again, the importance of regional collaboration.

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After all, this deal – endorsed by Boris Johnson who visited the Siemens site last year – and the opportunities being created for young people show the importance of a skills policy which has a strong focus on STEM subjects and benefits for the wider supply chain.

Boris Johnson during a visit to the Siemens rail plant at Goole last year.Boris Johnson during a visit to the Siemens rail plant at Goole last year.
Boris Johnson during a visit to the Siemens rail plant at Goole last year.

There also appears to be opportunities for Siemens to work in conjunction with the National College of High Speed Rail at Doncaster which was set up to help young engineers learn skills so they can work on schemes like HS2.

Yet one reason why HS2 continues to attarct so much antipathy is the abiding failure of the Government, and others, not to rebrand the project as the British Bullet – just as The Yorkshire Post has previously advocated.

Now that the PM has reiterated his commitment to the eastern leg of HS2, as he did at Prime Minister’s Questions, now is the chance to put a renewed focus on UK engineering and skills and, in doing so, follow the example being set by Siemens and GMI.

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