COMMENT: Why yes to HS2 was the right decision

IT would have been a huge shock if the government had said no to high speed rail between Birmingham and London, given its newly discovered enthusiasm for large, job creating and economy boosting infrastructure projects.

But it was still a relief yesterday to have that positive decision on HS2 confirmed at last.

My view is that it was a victory for economic common sense and great news for Birmingham and the wider Midlands.

I do have some reservations and I’ll get those out of the way first. The build project for phase one isn’t starting until 2016 and isn’t due to complete until 2026. Surely something could be shaved off that timeframe?

And secondly, I fear that – as is the case with the new Wembley Stadium and, to a degree, the M6 Toll – the huge cost of building it will mean high prices for those using the service. Being able to reach London from Birmingham in 49 minutes shouldn’t be reserved for the Concorde crowd. For it to alleviate chronic capacity problems on the existing railway network the service will have to be competitively priced.

It also needs to be ensured that services between neighbouring cities – such as  Coventry and Wolverhampton – and the HS2 hub in Birmingham are closely co-ordinated so that the benefits of fast transport to London aren’t the sole preserve of those living in the second city and its immediate environs.

But these are minor concerns compared to the huge benefits that I feel HS2 will bring to this area.

The government’s decision yesterday will have been reported around the world. The potential benefit in inward investment terms, both from the publicity surrounding the decision and from the underlying project itself, could be marked.

The boost to Birmingham Airport from having a new station offering fast train transport to London for air travellers is another huge plus. The airport is underused at present but, when complete, the runway extension (in the short term) and HS2 station (in the long term) could result in significant growth in passenger numbers as residents of the South East see the benefits of using Birmingham rather than Heathrow.

In development terms, a new ‘hub’ station near Curzon Street in Birmingham will provide huge impetus for the somewhat stalled Eastside project and regenerate an edge of city centre area that is crying out for change.

But above all the project itself will be a massive creator of jobs in the construction and engineering sectors and beyond. I’ve always been a supporter of the idea of building yourself out of economic turmoil. It worked in the US in the 1930s and in Germany and Japan in the 1940s. Why not here now?

Birmingham has missed out on a number of grand projects in the past. This time we’ve snared one and we’re at centre stage. Let’s enjoy the limelight and reap the rewards.