(BUTTON) More HS2 This article is more than 8 months old Engineering college for HS2 ditches 'high speed' from its name This article is more than 8 months old -- Clair Mowbray [ ] Clair Mowbray said the National College for High Speed Rail was responding to industry demands. Photograph: Andrew Fox/The Guardian When the government decided to fund an institution to lure engineering students to learn everything needed for HS2, the biggest project around, it might have seemed a name with cachet. But 18 months since opening its doors and having struggled to attract entrants, the National College for High Speed Rail has decided to ditch the words “high-speed rail”. With the second phase of the HS2 network yet to be confirmed, and Conservative leadership hopefuls discussing axing the entire scheme, the college has launched a consultation over a new name: the National -- in Birmingham and Doncaster with help from various national and regional government bodies, including the Department for Transport and HS2 Ltd. The college was reported in October to have signed up just 96 students -- standing start we were always working to a five-year period.” She denied the travails of HS2 had encouraged the college to drop high-speed rail from the name: “HS2 if anything seemed to be an attractive thing to young people who want to make a difference. “The name change is responding to industry demands … People [are] talking to us about doing more across the transport sector and for it not to be just limited to HS2.” She added: “Rail is known for boom and bust … You have to make sure you have a transferable skill base.” Mowbray said HS2 had “laid bare the skills challenge in this country” but there was the potential for “social mobility and opportunity it opens up for people in this country”. -- on Twitter at @BusinessDesk But even if HS2 were to fall through, Mowbray said “high-speed rail is an international business. We as a college would continue to exist.” A spokesperson for HS2 said: “We fully support the proposed name change, which enables the college to better reflect the breadth of high-quality learning and skills opportunities it delivers.” -- warnings the budget could escalate. Topics * HS2 * Rail transport -- * HS2: parliament misled about true cost, says Labour peer Deputy chair of government review into project claims HS2 chiefs ‘fiddled the figures’ Published: 5 Jan 2020 HS2: parliament misled about true cost, says Labour peer * HS2 costs head north just as its value falls south Nils Pratley The review panel’s advice to plough on despite rising costs is -- Published: 12 Nov 2019 Published: 12 Nov 2019 HS2 costs head north just as its value falls south * Co-author of leaked HS2 report demands his name is removed Lord Berkeley at odds with chair of the Oakervee review over costs and benefits Published: 12 Nov 2019 Co-author of leaked HS2 report demands his name is removed * Politicians' anger at threat to HS2 Leeds-Sheffield rail route Reports claim eastern extension of high-speed network could be scrapped to cut costs Published: 5 Oct 2019 Politicians' anger at threat to HS2 Leeds-Sheffield rail route * + Clearance of ancient woodlands for HS2 to be halted until review Published: 16 Sep 2019 Clearance of ancient woodlands for HS2 to be halted until review + HS2 to be delayed by up to five years as cost spirals to up to £88bn Published: 3 Sep 2019 HS2 to be delayed by up to five years as cost spirals to up to £88bn + If ministers want to rebalance the economy, they must scrap HS2 Larry Elliott Published: 3 Sep 2019 Published: 3 Sep 2019 If ministers want to rebalance the economy, they must scrap HS2 + View on HS2 from the Chilterns: ‘A big vanity project like Concorde’ Published: 21 Aug 2019 View on HS2 from the Chilterns: ‘A big vanity project like Concorde’ -- (BUTTON) Close [p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&comscorekw=HS2%2CRail+transport%2CEngine ering+general%2CBusiness%2CTransport%2CEducation%2CUK+news%2CFurther+ed ucation]