Demand from infrastructure is driving jobs in North Wales, says Johnson

The Prime Minister toured Hanson UK’s plant in Penmaenmawr, where the firm has reopened a railway line to transport its construction aggregates.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Hanson UK’s site in Penmaenmawr, North Wales (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Improving infrastructure is the key to creating jobs, Boris Johnson said as he visited a quarry in North Wales

The Prime Minister was given a tour of Hanson UK’s plant in Penmaenmawr, where the building materials supplier has recently reopened a railway line to transport its construction aggregates.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Hanson’s site in Penmaenmawr, North Wales, is ‘incredbile’ (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

He told reporters on Thursday it is an “incredible site”.

He said: “They’ve been quarrying continuously here for granite for more than 100 years. But what they’re doing now is reopening a railway line because of the massive continuous demand from UK infrastructure for top-quality granite from North Wales.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said demand from UK infrastructure for top-quality granite from North Wales is driving jobs (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

“Whether it’s HS2 high-speed rail going north of Birmingham, whether it’s nuclear power at Sizewell or Hinkley, or indeed, as we hope, at Wylfa, there is a long, long continuous demand now, because of the plans this Government has for improving infrastructure and therefore for Welsh granite.

“And that is driving jobs here in North Wales.”

Hanson, which employs around 3,500 people, has invested £300,000 in repairing, renewing and refurbishing its railhead facility at Penmaenmawr as part of its UK rail strategy to reduce vehicle movements and cut associated CO2 emissions

The Prime Minister ended his visit to North Wales at RAF Valley in Anglesey, where he spoke to engineers, technicians and apprentices.

Mr Johnson was shown aircraft, including the Texan T1, and took a seat in a helicopter before leaving the airfield.