UK looks at locations for new high-speed rail college

The Department for Transport (DfT) has begun a search to find the best location to establish its new HS2 training centre.

A consultation has been launched today (March 7) to try and assess which areas were most affordable, have the best links with the rail industry and would go the furthest to address an economic imbalance within the country.

Ministers are hoping the college will be open by 2017 to coincide with the start of work on the project.

The college will offer specialist high-speed rail training and qualifications.

Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock said: “HS2 is the biggest infrastructure project that this government is delivering, and presents a major opportunity for economic growth.

“We are determined to meet this challenge by developing the facilities that will support the highly-skilled workforce of the future – locally trained in the state of the art engineering technology and techniques needed for high-speed rail and other future infrastructure projects across the country.”