Figures show that the average pay for construction workers on railways and underground lines increased by 11.6 percent last year to an average of £856.50 per week. This is 74 percent more than in 2012, when the average weekly salary was £492.40.
This is the highest weekly pay rate for any segment of the construction industry. The average pay for workers in the construction sector as a whole is £587.70 (see graph below). NoPalaver says that now that work on Crossrail is well underway and contracts reported to be worth £7billion are out to tender for High Speed 2 (HS2), demand for experienced workers and highly skilled contractors is intensifying. Graham Jenner, Director at NoPalaver, says: “After a tough few years for construction generally during the recession, earnings in the rail segment specifically are rebounding strongly as new multi-billion pound infrastructure projects come on stream. This is good news for contractors and workers across the whole spectrum of pay levels.While debate about the viability of HS2 continues to rage, competition for lucrative contracts is already fierce. Firms looking to position themselves to win HS2 tenders will need to ensure they have the right skills and expertise on board, so demand is fuelling pay accordingly. Assuming HS2 gets the go-ahead, and with the possibility of Crossrail 2 in the pipeline, working on these kinds of high-level infrastructure schemes should provide fantastic career development opportunities as well as remuneration for those involved in this sector.”
Average weekly pay for construction workers on rail projects soars 74 percent in three years:
