Business News


Ambitious plans unveiled for new-look Moor Street


Electric dreams: One of the Volvo 7900e buses


Electric buses land at airport


Volvo Bus UK has been awarded a contract to supply Birmingham Airport with six single-deck electric buses. The ultra-low emission


Volvo 7900e buses will operate as a free passenger transport service via all airport car park routes. The Volvo 7900e will


provide an 80 per cent lower energy consumption than an equivalent-sized diesel bus. Two charging points will


also be installed outside the terminal. Additional plug-in charging


points are to be installed in the coach park and will be made available for other electric bus and coach operators to use. Nick Barton, chief executive


of Birmingham Airport said: “This partnership is a key milestone for us. “We are always


investigating new and innovative ways to reduce our carbon emissions and through the partnership with Volvo Bus UK, we will do just this. “Since 2012 the Airport has


reduced its CO2 per passenger by 20 per cent. Implementing the six electric buses will work towards lowering this even further which is just fantastic.” Nick Page, managing


director of Volvo Bus UK & Ireland, said: “It is very exciting that the 7900e has been chosen for Birmingham Airport in support of its ambition to provide the best possible environmentally- friendly bus service for airport customers and stakeholders alike.”


• More transport news on pages 72 and 73.


14 CHAMBERLINK April 2019 Looking good: The redesign of Birmingham Moor Street station would double the size of the concourse


Striking new images of a transformed Birmingham Moor Street have been revealed as part of ambitious plans to link the station with Birmingham New Street and HS2 services at Curzon Street.


Designs released by the West Midlands Rail Executive include options to more than double the size of the concourse from to 2,000 square metres and introduce two new platforms to meet growing passenger demand. New platforms will, alongside


other network infrastructure improvements, allow extra services to stop at Birmingham Moor Street, under Midlands Connect’s Midlands Rail Hub proposals to increase rail capacity to and from the East Midlands, Hereford, Worcester and the South West. Passenger numbers at Moor


Street are expected to grow from


‘This vision will offer passengers a much more enjoyable and pleasant experience’


seven million to 12 million a year by 2043, with further increases expected as a result of the Midlands Rail Hub and the arrival of HS2 in 2026. Rail chiefs say the vision puts


Moor Street at the heart of Birmingham’s ‘One Station’ strategy to ensure seamless links with Curzon Street and New Street stations. The plans include a transfer deck


with access to every platform and links to a new footbridge taking passengers directly to HS2 services from Curzon Street via a new public square. A second entrance to the south of the station is proposed to


improve passenger flow, avoid overcrowding and create better access to the revitalised Digbeth area and proposed £1.5bn Smithfield development. The artists’ impressions were designed by Grimshaw and Glenn Howells Architects, who also worked together on designs Curzon Street Station. Cllr Roger Lawrence, chair of


West Midlands Rail Executive, said: “With a second entrance, more space and improved links to New Street Station and the new HS2 Curzon Street station, this vision will offer passengers a much more enjoyable and pleasant experience when visiting Moor Street. “The extra platforms will also


ensure that Moor Street is ready for extra services following the proposed development of the Camp Hill Chords, as part of the Midlands Rail Hub.”


HS2 will boost nation’s connectivity


Political leaders and rail chiefs joined forces in Birmingham to throw their weight behind HS2. HS2 minister Musrat Ghani, West Midlands mayor Andy Street and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce president Saqib Bhatti were among those who came together to unveil a giant jigsaw which signified that the high-speed rail project is the “missing piece” in bridging national connectivity divides. The event also brought together


apprentices who are being trained and helping construct HS2, along with businesses from across the country that are part of the HS2 supply chain. Nusrat Ghani said: “Birmingham


and the Midlands are at the heart of this project and are already seizing the opportunities it has to offer,


Bridging the gap: Key figures unveil the giant HS2 map


with hundreds of businesses across the region working on its delivery.” Andy Street said: “We are


investing in new rail, tram, bus and cycling routes as a direct result of


HS2 and through the HS2 College and our apprenticeship schemes developing a skilled workforce to make the most of those opportunities.”


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