Posts Tagged ‘Birmingham High Speed 2’
Business Leaders Back HS2
More than 400 business leaders have given overwhelming support in backing plans for the Birmingham to London HS2 High Speed rail line. 
Opponents to HS2 could only muster a handful of business backers.
The glowing endorsement for High Speed rail leaves the no campaign in tatters and with the leaders of the campaign labelled as “nimbys”.
The proposed High Speed rail line will run into a new Curzon St Station in Birmingham and will be vital for attracting growth to the West Midlands. It will slash journey times to the London and its claimed will cement Birmingham as the UK’s second city.
“A new railway was always going to create opposition from the people who live closest to it, but this shows the level of national support . . . for more and quicker trains between our major cities,” he said.
“A vocal minority are determined to block our ambitious proposals to create a railway fit for the 21st century. It is important that all those who are in favor make themselves heard.”
BIRMINGHAM HS2 FIRST GLIMPSE
Digbeth based architects Glen Howells have revealed a striking vision of Birmingham’s future. Plans to transform the east side area of Birmingham have been sketched out to reveal the dramatic designs for Birmingham’s new transport hub. 
Transport body Centro have announced the image will be part of leaflet campaign to make the case for the new High Speed 2 rail network.
The design shows a modern glass covered station terminating at Curzon Street. Commuters would be whisked to London in a draw dropping 49 minutes cementing Birmingham’s place as the UK’s second city.
Birmingham HS2
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.