£2.7bn HS2 transport access plan revealed

A £2.7bn transport plan to give over 20 East Midlands towns, villages and cities direct access to the planned HS2 station at Toton has been published.

The plan says it will deliver “fast and frequent” connections to the HS2 East Midlands Hub station at Toton, and promises to “spearhead the region’s economic renewal” post COVID-19.

The plan – published by a group of councils, transport bodies and East Midlands Airport – includes new and improved rail, bus and tram networks and enhanced road infrastructure. It shows the locations that will have direct access to the HS2 station, including Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Newark, Matlock, Mansfield and Long Eaton.

The work to deliver this is split into three phases, with the first earmarked for completion by 2030, to stimulate development before HS2 trains first arrive in the East Midlands.

These plans will work alongside the nascent East Midlands Development Corporation, which has been given government backing to create 84,000 jobs and 4,500 homes at key growth sites close to the HS2 station at Toton, including East Midlands Airport, Chetwynd Barracks and Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station.

Phase One of the scheme, which could be implemented and operational within the next ten years, includes plans for:

· An extension of the Nottingham Express Transit system from Long Eaton to Toton Lane via two new stops at the planned Innovation Campus Development and HS2 East Midlands Hub

· New bus services from the HS2 East Midlands Hub to Amber Valley, West Bridgford and Clifton;

· Four rail services per hour to the HS2 East Midlands Hub from Leicester, Derby and Nottingham;

· Enhanced road access to the HS2 East Midlands Hub via improvements to the A6005; and

· New rail services between Mansfield, Derby and Leicester, with stops at Ilkeston, Langley Mill, Kirkby in Ashfield, Sutton Parkway and the HS2 East Midlands Hub, made possible by reopening the Maid Marian line to passenger services.

Phase Two of the scheme, which could be up and running within 20 years, includes:

· A new railway station at East Midlands Airport and connections from the East Midlands Hub to Derby by tram or Bus Rapid Transit. The new station at East Midlands Airport would allow a direct journey to Leicester in 15 minutes, to Derby in 18 minutes, and to Nottingham in 26 minutes, vastly improving sustainable transport access for passengers and staff.

The final raft of improvements in Phase Three, which would be completed within 25 years, include:

· New rail links to the South Derby Growth Zone and Rolls Royce site, as well as a tram-train serving Long Eaton, a planned housing development to the west of East Midlands Airport, Ratcliffe-on-Soar-Power Station and the East Midlands Gateway logistics site.

Sir John Peace, chairman of Midlands Connect and Midlands Engine said: “The arrival of High Speed Two is a watershed moment for our region, and an opportunity that we must grasp with both hands. As we work towards an economic renewal post-COVID-19, the East Midlands must step forward and work together to secure the transport network, economic future and social mobility it deserves.

“This truly integrated transport strategy isn’t just about connecting more people to the HS2 station; it will also support the building of new homes, accelerate transformational regeneration and link some of our most deprived communities to nationally-important assets across the East Midlands. It means spreading the benefits of high speed rail to businesses and workers across the region, from our great cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham, to bustling towns like Mansfield and Loughborough and smaller communities that may otherwise feel HS2 won’t benefit them.

“Our message to Westminster is clear; support us in making this vision a reality.”

Facts and figures

The table below illustrates some of the new connections this project will create, allowing new or improved links to the HS2 East Midlands Hub from towns and cities across the East Midlands.

These frequencies and journey times are indicative estimates, and may be subject to change as the project develops.

Connections to East Midlands Airport

EMA – Leicester 15 minutes

EMA – Derby 18 minutes

EMA – Nottingham 26 minutes

It is estimated that the improvements outlined in this study will cost in the region of £2.7bn over 25 years, and will be split into three phases:=

Phase One                        £455m

Phase Two                       £1.2 bn

Phase Thee                      £1.05 bn

*Estimated costs have been calculated using 2018 prices, including the addition of a 66% ‘optimism bias’ designed to cover rising costs and additional construction risk over the lifetime of the project. These costs will be further refined as the project moves into its next stages of development.

+Highways England to work with Midlands Connect and other partners to bring forward these improvements

++Scheme being brought forward by Midlands Connect as part of its Midlands Engine Rail proposals