Businesses urged to voice their opinions over higher speed rail travel in the region
Businesses across the county are being urged to make their views know about proposed improvements on the Shrewsbury-Black Country-Birmingham route which could see speeds up to 90 miles an hour on the track.
Midlands Connect recently submitted a Strategic outline Business Case to the Department for Transport in July which found that with improvements the line’s speed to could be boosted from 50 and 70 miles-per-hour to 90 miles and hour.
It says the project will deliver around £23 million of economic benefits from journey time improvements to improved air quality, environmental benefits and reduced congestion on local roads.
Midlands Connect researches, develops and champions long-term transport projects which will provide the biggest possible economic, social and environmental benefits for the Midlands and the rest of the UK.
A special survey it launched is open for another week for firms to voice their opinions.
The results will be used to help illustrate the need for further investment along the line.
A recently unveiled Business Case shows that for every £1 invested, £16 could be created for the local economy.
The business case adds to work released last year in Midlands Connect’s Rails to Recovery report, which also found that electrifying the route through Telford and the Black Country and extending London services to Shrewsbury could create up to £500 million of benefits for businesses and residents by making the trains hourly to the nation’s capital. Midlands Connect analysed plans for a new hourly train from Shrewsbury, Wellington, Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham to London.
The survey on the plans will close on Monday, September 5, with results to be announced soon after. To complete the survey please visit midlandsconnect.consultationonline.co.uk/shrewsbury-blackcountry-birmingham/.
Midlands Connect Senior Rail Programme Manager Tawhida Yaacoub said:“We are delighted with the amount of businesses who have let us know their views from throughout Shropshire, Telford, the Black Country and Birmingham but with a week to go we are calling on local businesses to log on and fill in the survey. It will only take a few minutes and will make a massive difference potentially.”
The survey can be found here: midlandsconnect.consultationonline.co.uk/shrewsbury-blackcountry-birmingham.
Mr Yaacoub said: “We examine every option for improving major transport infrastructure in our region. The fundamental aim of these improvements is to transform regional and UK gateways, bringing the Midlands closer together and accelerating cost-effective improvements to unlock east-west connectivity that will enable the Midlands’ economies to work more effectively together.
“Our 25-year transport strategy for the region has the potential to add £5 billion a year to the UK economy, contributing to the Midlands Engine vision of creating 300,000 additional jobs by 2030 and growing the economy by £54 billion.
