CHAMBER NEWS
East Midlands businesses demand HS2 certainty
The business community in the East Midlands is stepping up calls for more certainty around HS2. With the legislation required to deliver Phase 2b due later in this Parliament, the project is reaching an important moment in time. Businesses are concerned that wider awareness of the project is still relatively low and with other external pressures such as Brexit, it is important that the positive messages of what HS2 can bring to the region are amplified. The call comes as business
leaders and politicians from the East Midlands, West Midlands and North of England signed an open letter to the UK’s four biggest political parties urging them to publicly commit to deliver HS2 in full, connecting the Midlands and the North and helping to rebalance the economy. A delegation joined Transport Secretary Chris Grayling and Lilian Greenwood, Nottingham North MP and Chair of the Commons Transport Select Committee, for a parliamentary reception recently, to reinforce the benefits of HS2 Phase Two. As well as adding much needed
capacity and improving journey times to and from the East Midlands to other parts of the country, HS2 will also provide the foundation for future growth across the region. With proposals being discussed for an official ‘development body’ to be installed to lead and stimulate growth around Toton – the proposed site for the HS2 station in the East Midlands - and other key areas, HS2 will play a much bigger role than simply providing faster rail journeys. Alongside other key growth
areas such as East Midlands Airport and the East Midlands Gateway, HS2 will be the step-change that the region needs to drive improved inward investment and business relocation. This, in turn, would lead to greater job creation, new
32 business network February 2019
place a skilled workforce wants to relocate to. We need to keep banging the drum for HS2 and a strong business voice will be critical to this.” Key to realising some of the
benefits of HS2 is ensuring the Toton station is properly connected to a rapid integrated public transport network so that people from Derby, Leicester and Nottingham can get to and from sites such as East Midlands Airport easily. Leading businesses in the region that have expertise in this area have been challenged by the Advisory Group to come up with innovative ideas for how this might be achieved. Ian added: “In our region we
New Chamber Chair to the Board of Directors Ian Morgan believes HS2 is arguably the most significant single piece of investment the region will have experienced
‘We need to keep banging the drum for HS2 and a strong business voice will be critical to this’
housing and communities, and improved quality of life for people living and working in the region. The call from businesses comes
following recent suggestions that HS2 project costs are rising and it risks falling behind schedule. The recent resignation of Chief Executive Sir Terry Morgan has also cast a shadow over the project, while it was recently revealed the new HS2 Chief Executive Mark Thurston had said that train speeds and the number of services could be reduced to keep the project within budget and schedule. Chaired by Ian Morgan, who
took over as Chair at the Chamber at the end of January and is a Director of the Wellglade group which owns Trentbarton, Kinchbus and other bus operators, the East Midlands HS2 Business Advisory
group includes representatives from Rolls Royce, East Midlands Airport, KPMG, FSB, the IoD, the Rail Forum East Midlands, Nottingham Trent University, enfec, Bowmer and Kirkland, the CBI, Geldards LLP and the National Housing Federation. He said: “HS2 is arguably the
most significant single piece of investment that this region will have experienced. The knock-on effect will be felt further and wider than anything that has happened before. The way we respond to it requires some radical thinking as it has the potential to re-shape the entire region, not just economically but also geographically. The needs of business need to be heard to ensure that the region continues to be an attractive option for inward investment, growth and the sort of
have some of the world’s largest companies whose expertise is designing transport solutions. It would be a missed opportunity not to have their input and views on how the region can be connected. The solutions might not even exist yet but it’s this sort of radical thinking that we need to do if we’re going to succeed.” As well as a new hub station at
Toton, HS2 will stimulate regeneration plans in Chesterfield and Staveley. Chamber Chief Executive Scott
Knowles said: “As the UK wrestles with what its future may look like, one thing all agree on is that we want to be an outward facing, innovative, high-technology country that can collaborate and compete on the world stage. HS2 helps us achieve that. “It's much more than just a
railway line - it's a catalyst for regeneration and growth in the East Midlands up to 2033, when it goes live, and beyond. Done right, it can be a springboard for shaping the future East Midlands economy to attract business and talent from around the world. It's essential that it gets the green light for the go ahead as soon as possible.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
