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Businesses in Birmingham and Solihull are ‘overwhelmingly in favor’ of the high speed rail link between London, Birmingham and the north, new research reveals today.

A survey by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce indicates that 72% of Birmingham and Solihull businesses believe that HS2 will open up ‘inward investment, employment and economic prosperity opportunities for the future.’

Birmingham Chamber is a member of the Go-HS2 alliance and fully recognizes HS2’s strategic importance to the West Midlands and the whole country.

Other members include Centro, the region’s transport authority, Birmingham Airport, The NEC Group, Birmingham City Council and Business Birmingham, the city’s inward investment agency.

Christine Braddock, Birmingham Chamber’s president, said:

“Reduced travel times and increased capacity will create new market opportunities, attract inward investment and increase the region’s access to customers.”

Centro said that the survey also revealed that 75%t thought HS2 could have a similar impact here to abroad and that high speed rail operates ‘successfully in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and China.’

The distances between population centres in the UK are ‘roughly comparable to that of other countries that have HSR networks such as Germany, where the most successful high speed service is between Frankfurt and Cologne. The two cities are 110 miles apart – the same distance as between London and Birmingham.’

Dr Braddock added:

“Unemployment in our region is 9.7 per cent so developing sustainable long-term jobs is paramount. We require skilled jobs that won’t disappear, which this region has failed on over the last decade.

“With London benefiting from Crossrail and Thameslink, the business community here in Birmingham is desperate to also benefit from investment in first-class transport links which would no doubt help re-balance the economy.