STATION MODERNISATION
HS2 and Birmingham
Extract from the London – West Midlands Environmental Statement (Volume 2: CFA26 – Washwood Heath to Curzon Street)
The proposed Curzon Street station will mark the western terminus of the Proposed Scheme. It will be over three main levels: a lower concourse level accessed from the east of the station, the platform level accessed from both the upper and lower concourses, and the upper concourse accessed from the west of the station. There will be seven platforms, including one with international capability.
The lower eastern entrance will be accessed at ground level from New Canal Street and Curzon Street.
The upper concourse western entrance of the station will front onto Moor Street Queensway at ground level, with a connection to Moor Street station.
The station will broadly occupy land from the Digbeth Branch Canal in the east to Moor Street Queensway at its western extent
and between Birmingham line. Curzon Street and the Rugby and
“It may not ultimately be delivered exactly as the design we’ve set out, but it has to be something that gets international recognition. This will be an international station, and I’m not happy to accept, Birmingham’s not going to accept, a boxy, standard station which doesn’t meet the international standard we want.
“The architects are my staff, this whole masterplan has been done in-house by the city council, and it’s something I’m very proud of.”
He said HS2, up until now, has been focused on ensuring the plans for Curzon Street are “technically feasible” – but that it is the city council’s job to help deliver something much than just what is technically feasible, and something that helps regeneration and growth on the east side of Birmingham.
He said: “HS2 have been involved with our masterplan, which I presented to the HS2 Growth Task Force. It’s music to their ears, to be frank – the opponents of HS2 are very loud. This gives an opportunity for a city to show some leadership and show what HS2 can actually deliver.”
Transformational value of HS2
Lord Deighton, commercial secretary to the Treasury and chair of the HS2 Growth Taskforce, said: “Birmingham is developing ambitious plans to kick-start development and realise the benefits of HS2. Their vision for the Curzon HS2 masterplan demonstrates the transformational value of HS2, not just for rail passengers but for the communities that the railway will serve.”
Nazir added: “One key thing, which comes out in the masterplan, is integrating HS2 with the other transport infrastructure. We’ve talked about bringing Metro right down to the station, with a stop inside it. That’s fundamental – you’d literally be able to get off a HS2 train and step onto Metro.”
On connectivity, he added: “You could probably walk from Moor Street station to New Street station within seven minutes. But a seven- minute walk can feel like a 30-minute walk if it’s not permeable and not pleasant. When I used to live in London, there were some walks I could do all day long, because they were pleasant walks. But you can take the same distance and
walk it in some parts of Birmingham, and it’s not pleasant. We’re saying we’ll invest in the public realm and make sure those walks are pleasant and encourage people to get around that way. From an economic perspective, that’s critical too – I’d rather have people walking through the city, spending some money as they walk past shops or stopping at a café, than just whizzing through.”
The draft masterplan covers more than 140ha of the Eastside and Digbeth quarters and the eastern fringe of the city centre core, which its proponents say will unlock major regeneration and growth opportunities that can provide 14,000 (net) jobs, 600,000m sq of new business space, 2,000 new homes and £1.3bn of economic uplift.
For reaction to
Birmingham’s proposals, see page 16-17.
Waheed Nazir FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.birmingham.gov.uk/ birminghamcurzonhs2
rail technology magazine Apr/May 14 | 149
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