A year on: Midlands Connect comment on first anniversary of the IRP

Commenting on the first anniversary of the Integrated Rail Plan, Midlands Connect Chairman Sir John Peace said:

“The Integrated Rail Plan is now a year old and in those last twelve months we have worked at Midlands Connect to turn the words in that document into actions.

“We have delivered, at pace, the outline business case for our landmark project the Midlands Rail Hub and following Government’s £1m funding support, we are supporting the work of partners in the East Midlands to revise the HS2 Growth Strategy to reflect proposals for HS2 East.

“We have also welcome announcements confirming the phase 2b Western Leg hybrid Bill secured its second reading in the House of Commons and on the commencement of plans for HS2 East by HS2 Ltd and Network Rail, in conjunction with work to electrify the Midland Main Line.

“In publishing the IRP, Government intended to bring benefits at least a decade or more earlier. Our strong partnership with the Government is based on that firm foundation. We have worked tirelessly, to make sure these projects, our regional priorities were included in the Integrated Rail Plan and we want to see them delivered now.

“Communities like Coventry, mentioned in the Integrated Rail Plan as well as Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield Birmingham and many other towns and cities throughout the region now expect to see real, tangible progress.

“We also need to see the promised Integrated Rail Plan Study into extending HS2 to Leeds to start as soon as possible to resolve ongoing uncertainty for communities and landowners along the Eastern Leg line of route which remains safeguarded.

“We have delivered a lot in a year and we hope to deliver even more in the next year.”