ENTERPRISE & INNOVATION
FEATURE
That’s why we must make it as easy as possible for people to access the six Midlands stations serving the new network.
EAST MIDLANDS ACCELERATION A lot of work is already being done by partners in the West Midlands to make connections between New Street, Moor Street, Snow Hill and Curzon Street as seamless as possible, and transform Birmingham International Station into a fully-integrated transport exchange - linked to the new HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull. Ensuring access to the HS2 East
Midlands Hub at Toton is more complex, and we must get it right to make sure as many people in the East Midlands as possible can access affordable rapid mass transit services quickly, and that infrastructure around the station encourages job creation and house building.
Midlands Connect is working with
Transport for the East Midlands, HS2 Ltd and local and national delivery bodies to see how road, rail, bus, tram and other more sustainable transport options can best connect the Hub Station with Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and East Midlands Airport. We are delighted that the Department for Transport (DfT) has earmarked a further £1.8m in development funding to develop these plans further. Ultimately, we are pressing for
HS2 services to run between Birmingham and Toton from 2030, three years earlier than planned, with Network Rail services beginning in the late 2020s. This would radically improve connectivity between the East and West Midlands, as well as stimulate the early development of the proposed ‘Toton Innovation Campus’ which could create up to 11,000 new jobs.
CONVENTIONAL-COMPATIBLE SERVICES HS2 will only succeed in rebalancing the economy if people can access services from existing stations. We’re working closely with the DfT to develop a compelling economic case for a conventional- compatible link with the Midland Main Line. This would enable direct HS2 services to run between Leicester and Leeds, cutting the journey time to an hour. Just one train an hour making this journey could add £14m to the economy every year.
REGIONAL CONSENSUS, NATIONAL BACKING There is a growing trust in, commitment to and enthusiasm for the economic opportunities presented by HS2. The Government has already committed £300m to improve
connections to HS2 services, but it mustn’t stop there. Midlands Connect forms an essential bridge between local decision makers, central Government and national delivery bodies like Network Rail and HS2 Ltd to ensure future investment is targeted towards infrastructure projects that can have the biggest impact on our economy. What is now a vision must
become a reality. Come 2028, I’d love to be able to launch Midlands Connect’s latest vision from the HS2 East Midlands Hub at Toton, at the gleaming headquarters of a business that’s been lured there by the fantastic connectivity it brings. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Midlands and we have to be ready. It’s essential we work together – for the benefit of businesses, the economy and our constituents. Midlands Connect is the perfect vehicle to help make that happen.
business network October 2018
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