Stakeholders petition to maximise HS2 benefits to Greater Birmingham

BUSINESS leaders and local authority representatives across Greater Birmingham and Solihull have formally submitted their petitions to try and maximise the benefits to the region of the £50bn HS2 high speed rail project.

Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Airport, the NEC Group, transport authority Centro and other key regional stakeholders have all put forward their proposals on how the HS2 Bill should be amended to provide the best possible outcome for the area.

The feeling among them is that a scheme such as HS2 only comes along once in a lifetime and it is vital that that scheme works to everyone’s advantage.

Speaking at a press briefing, Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council, said there was a strong political will to see the project developed to its full potential and this view was shared by businesses and other organisations throughout Greater Birmingham.

Sir Albert, chair of the West Midlands HS2 Strategic Board and transport leader for the Core Cities group – an alliance of the eight largest cities outside London, said there was also staunch support for the proposals from outside the area, especially other cities along the eventual route of the HS2 line such as Manchester and Leeds.

The various organisations are using the petition process, which is agreed Parliamentary procedure, to formally ask for the Bill to be amended to reflect the full potential benefits of the project and the measures needed to achieve them.

These include the need for high quality interchange facilities between the region’s existing rail stations and the two HS2 stations – Birmingham city centre (Birmingham Curzon) and one on land close to the airport/NEC site (HS2 Interchange).

Sir Albert said: “HS2 can play a key role in securing the future economic prosperity of the West Midlands and we back the project 100%. However, if we are to secure the maximum benefits possible from HS2 we need to make sure the project’s design best meets the needs of our region.

“Submitting these petitions does not weaken our support for HS2, it’s simply accepted practice to enable us to formally seek those changes to the Bill that are important to the West Midlands.”

Creative design of both the proposed stations will be vitally important to the completed scheme and the petitions include pleas for imaginative and high quality designs.

“Curzon Station will be amongst the best connected rail stations in the country but its maximum potential will only be achieved through good architectural design,” said Sir Albert.

The city council believes that the area around Curzon Station (below), if designed properly could create one of the most significant economic regeneration schemes in the country. It would also link with the city centre, helping to spearhead many more new commercial, cultural and creative schemes.

Birmingham Curzon StationHowever, it is not just Curzon Station that occupies the petition pages. There is also a strong consensus to develop the new Birmingham Interchange site out towards Birmingham Airport and the NEC.

Birmingham Interchange will be a vital transport connection because it will act as the gateway to the UK Central scheme; a 143-hectare site at the heart of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP area which has the potential to create 100,000 new jobs by 2040 and drive a £14bn GDP uplift, as well as 3,500 new homes.

Consequently, the various stakeholders want to see the station developed to be more than just a park and ride facility.

They said HS2 Ltd’s current proposals paid little attention to the station’s growth potential and they have urged the company to re-think the scheme beyond a parkway facility.

Solihull Council is petitioning for HS2 Ltd to work with it on designs for the station and its surroundings in order to maximise growth potential and ensure full connectivity.

The proposals also include a two-junction upgrade to the current Junction 6 of the M42 to improve traffic flow in and out of the interchange.

Birmingham City Council has also called for upgrades to proposals for the Washwood Heath depot and urged HS2 Ltd to work will it to improve connectivity to the new rail line from existing infrastructure.

Together with Centro, it is also seeking provision for a future link between HS2 and the existing HS1 high speed line to the Channel Tunnel.
 

 

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