Alison Munro was appointed as Chief Executive of High Speed Two Ltd when the company was established in early 2009, and led the development of the strategy and route proposals for HS2, the largest infrastructure project in the UK. She was responsible for securing powers for Phase 1 (London to West Midlands) through a hybrid Bill which was approved by Parliament in February 2017. Early works have now started on Phase 1. From late 2014 Alison was Managing Director responsible for developing the Phase 2 routes to Manchester and Leeds, and preparation of a second Bill for the route from Birmingham to Crewe.
Since October 2017 Alison has been the Chair of the National College for High Speed Rail, which aims to ensure there is a skilled workforce to deliver HS2 and create a skills legacy in high speed rail.
Previously Alison held a number of senior roles in Government, especially in transport, including responsibility for strategic roads policy and a major motorway investment programme, and as client for the High Speed 1 Project, leading the arrangements for the delivery of the second section from Ebbsfleet to London. Alison was awarded a CBE for service to the railway industry in June 2017.
Alison will talk about the jobs and opportunities created by HS2, and the skills gap that we face in the UK. She will describe what the new National College for High Speed Rail is doing to grow the skills needed for HS2, and the importance of creating a diverse workforce.
