The roadshow will highlight to the public all the opportunities HS2 is offering, including jobs, skills and education prospects, as well as how to apply for funding as part of the £40 million earmarked for community and business projects along the route.

After starting on Saturday 25th May at Birmingham Pride, HS2 will be making stops in the town centres of:

· Lichfield on Wednesday 5th June at Market Square

· Leamington Spa on Thursday 6th June at Town Hall

· Solihull on Saturday 8th June at Solihull Carnival

· Coventry on Friday 28th June at Broadgate

Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 Ltd, said: “HS2 is more than a railway and there are many opportunities for those who live along the line of route and beyond. As a transformative project for the country, we aim to be creative in our approach to engagement and want to interact with as many different communities as possible.

“Our new mobile engagement roadshow is just one of the ways we are reaching out to people, and ensuring the opportunities HS2 offers are available to everyone. As part of our drive to be a leading project in our approach to engagement, our teams are working closely with the local communities they serve, and someone from each area will be on hand to speak with visitors at all of our roadshow events.”

The HS2 Community Engagement Trailer, Telford, 23.5.2019,

The engagement roadshow – entitled Communities, Conversations & Connections – will also highlight the HS2 Helpdesk, as well as email, freephone and minicom service which is available to the public all day, every day of the year for all queries relating to the new railway.

Mark Thurston added: “At the peak of construction we will need 30,000 people to deliver the new high speed railway, and HS2 is investing in young people now to get our future workforce ready. They are the people who will help us deliver HS2 as it extends from London to the Midlands and then on to the North. Our roadshow will also give visitors more information on how they can play their part in Britain’s new high speed railway.”

HS2 Ltd is also encouraging businesses to attend the roadshow, as specialist staff will be on hand to discuss supply chain opportunities. They will explain how SMEs in particular can bid for contracts on the project.

Julie King, Community and Stakeholder Engagement Director, HS2 Ltd, said: “Last year we engaged with more than 36,000 people at over 2,000 engagement events across the whole HS2 route. Our new community engagement roadshow allows us to showcase the opportunities provided by HS2 in more areas than ever before.

“Experts from all areas of the project will be on hand, along with a wealth of resources to experience on the trailer or take away, ensuring that people can get the most out of this crucial investment in the UK’s national transport system.”