The SCR Chambers: East Midlands


East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)


T: 0333 320 0333 E: info@emc-dnl.co.uk W: www.emc-dnl.co.uk Twitter: @EMChamberNews


The Chamber is the largest business representation organisation in the East Midlands. With a growing membership of more than 4,300 businesses, it represents the interests of businesses across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.


Ian’s open letter aims to get HS2 back on track in the East Midlands


East Midlands HS2 Business Advisory Group and East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), has written an open letter setting out reasons for supporting it. Recently, the House of Lords Economic Affairs


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Committee published a report, Rethinking High Speed 2, which roundly criticised Government for its handling of the biggest rail investment programme in the UK since Victorian times. While Rethinking HS2 did not suggest that the


project should be axed, it failed to mention the transformational economic benefits it would bring to the East Midlands – in fact, it didn’t mention Toton, Chesterfield or Staveley at all. Responding to this, Ian said that recent reports


“have fundamentally misunderstood, or even ignored completely, the opportunities HS2 creates”, adding that “delivered in full, it will be transformational for the East Midlands economy”. Under the current plan, there would be a


trains-maintenance depot at Staveley, Chesterfield would be one of the station stops and there would be a station hub at Toton, which would allow massive regeneration of the surrounding area. Ian said: “[HS2] will better connect us to


other major hubs across the UK and free up vital capacity on the wider road and rail networks, keeping our businesses competitive.” He also mentions how


having Toton as a focal point had brought businesses and academia together like never before to look at future skills development and spurred further investment in the region. While agreeing that, as with any


‘Delivered in full, it will be


transformational for the East Midlands economy’


major infrastructure project, costs need to be controlled, Ian warned that the East Midlands must not allow itself to be drawn into an ‘either/or’ debate over HS2 and future infrastructure investment, describing the project as “a catalyst” for a successful East Midlands for decades to come. Ian’s intervention comes at a time when


businesses have warned that continued uncertainty around the project is starting to stifle


Ian Morgan


growth, with some companies on the route being unsure whether to invest in premises or move. The legal part of the planning process for the


Eastern Leg of HS2 Phase 2B has yet to be finalised by Government, however, the Treasury has committed £2m to the East Midlands


Development Corporation to develop a strategic plan for an area including Toton, the soon-to-be- decommissioned Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and East Midlands Airport. Businesses alongside local authorities in the


East Midlands are calling for the legal certainty to be given as soon as possible.


Summer 2019 CHAMBERconnect 43


n light of recent reports and future political events raising doubts about HS2 in the region, Ian Morgan, the Chair of both the


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