Towards creating a Midlands Hub a challenge for the Midlands

Transcription

1 Towards creating a Midlands Hub a challenge for the Midlands The Midlands - powering economic growth Michael Byng West Midlands Economic Forum Conference 31 st October 2014

2 That Was The Week That Was! Much has happened in the past week.... 2

3 In the News! On Monday we learned from the Prime Minister, together with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that a new body, Transport for the North T-f-N is to be set up under the auspices of the northern city regions. According to the Chancellor, George Osborne, T-f-N will be like T-f-L (Transport for London): able to provide a coherent overall transport plan, not just for rail but for all forms of transport. So already we have T-f-L and soon we will have T-f-N. Of course, between the letters l and n is the letter m... M, as in Midlands. 3

4 So what we now need, urgently, is a similar body Transport for the Midlands T-f-M... a point made strongly by Jane Urquhart, Nottingham city s cabinet member for transport, after she heard the government s announcement in Leeds last Monday about setting up Transport for the North. Of course, between the letters l and n is the letter m... M, as in Midlands. 4

5 A Notable Event! Last Saturday, there was a most unusual service in Derby Cathedral, with the VIP guests including Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary being brought in, down the aisle, riding on a train hauled by a 7¼ Gauge steam locomotive 5

6 And today? The service was held to celebrate 175 years of railways in Derby ever since That year three railways serving Derby opened.... one of them being the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway then the only way by train from Derby to London. Most of that railway from Derby through Burton-on- Trent, Tamworth, Kingsbury and Whitacre Junction is still in regular use today; indeed, it is heavily used with both passenger and large freight trains traffic. 6

7 The Missing Link! But the final seven miles south of Whitacre ceased to operate in any significant way almost 100 years ago, during World War 1. Daily Whitacre Hampton Goods train approaches 7 bridge No. 18 at Packington in

8 Recycling old railways Today, however, I want to focus on those southernmost 7 miles most of which, although densely overgrown, are still extant because we (that is my colleague Alan Marshall, of Railnews, and myself) believe that restoring this railway in modern form, and with delta (triangular) junctions at either end, could be a major catalyst in creating a Midlands Hub Railway in much the same way that... 8

9 A new hub in the classic railway North West.... the Ordsall Chord, to the west of Manchester city centre, will be the key enabler in creating the Northern Hub which is itself the basis mow for developing plans for new eastwest High Speed Rail infrastructure across the North, referred to as HS3. 9

10 And a new hub for the Midlands! Last year Alan Marshall and I produced a detailed report recommending that the railway between Whitacre Junction, in North Warwickshire, and Hampton-in-Arden (now in Solihull Metropolitan Borough) should be restored. In its latter days it was known as the Stonebridge Railway. And in the form we have suggested it be restored... 10

11 The Whitacre Link... it has become referred to as the Whitacre Link. 11

12 Connection to Birmingham Airport and HS2 Hub Our report was originally prepared at the instigation of Birmingham Airport Ltd when it was preparing its submission to the Davies Commission on airport capacity and because the original alignment will be crossed by HS2 approaching the Birmingham Interchange station, which will be linked with Birmingham Airport by a People Mover system. 12

13 Other journey opportunities with the Whitacre Link But it quickly became apparent to Alan and myself and to many others, such as Paul Forrest of the Midlands Economic Forum who has organised this conference today that the Whitacre Link has the potential to become the focal point of railways between the West and East Midlands, unlocking a whole range of new journey opportunities and, in particular, in the case of the East Midlands and places such as Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Hinckley, as well as Burton and Tamworth in Staffordshire, enabling something like 40 minutes to be sliced off journey times to and from Birmingham Airport. 13

14 The Whitacre Link the cost At 3 rd Quarter 2014 prices, the cost is :- 279 million without electrification 302 million electrified But to be effective the Derby Birmingham line (via Whitacre Junction) and the Nuneaton Birmingham Landor Street lines would need electrifying too The prices are based on market data becoming available from Network Rail s Rail Method of Measurement initiative This initiative is showing positive signs of cost reductions in line with ORR requirements Time for design, construction and completion 24 months 14

15 Summary & Conclusion The Whitacre Link Protect the existing disused rail corridor in the HS Hybrid Bill Put the project in hand to create the focal point of a Midlands Hub Railway Use the development to support and enhance the skills base at the HS2 academy database Improve access from all part of the Midlands to Birmingham Airport Especially the connectivity of North West Coventry and the Ricoh Arena to the airport and to the rest of Midlands. Other possibilities given the apparent reduction in costs Routes with Birmingham and the West Midlands Stourbridge Walsall Lichfield at last! The Bordesley Chords and the Benson Road curve the Snow Hill lines network From Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire The Ivanhoe line Leicester Coalville Ashby Burton Leicester Coventry chord at Nuneaton 15

16 Questions Thank you Questions Please Alan Marshall Michael Byng 16