As you may know if you read my blog, I am a keen advocate of the new HS2 line – conditionally that it stops at Nottingham, or very close to. The line has been in the news again this week as protestors in the South have been arguing over the detail of the route. Some of the route has been changed as a result of these protests.
The critical thing for the East Midlands is to make sure we are on the map shown here. Manchester and Leeds have secured their places – as has Birmingham. But a station at Nottingham / Derby could potentially cut the London journey time to 50-55 minutes.
This line is still many years away – and the detail is important. But we really do need to fight for a station. The line is certain to come through our neighbourhood anyway – the worst thing would be for us to watch the trains whizz by?
The finer details of the route can be thrashed out – no one wants it in their back yard, but we have plenty of room to the west where this 22nd Century transport system could go? The impact on our lives will be massive and I see the benefits considerably outweighing the downside.
I just wonder what we are doing about it…
One of the proponents for HS2 said that “everyone wants a station, no-one wants the track”.
Unfortunately for places like Nottingham, the government and HS2 warn against having too many stations. There will be at most two extra stations across the entire network, they have said, and even those aren’t certain.
Milton Keynes isn’t getting a station because too many passengers would use it (it’s in Chapter 3 of the main HS2 report published in March.) Aylesbury, they say, would have too few passengers.
Stop HS2 wrote about the prospects for Nottingham here – http://stophs2.org/news/125-derby-and-nottinghams-high-speed-ambitions-likely-to-be-dashed/
Thanks for the comment Penny. I sat on a panel with the Chief Engineer a few months ago and he said that no decision had been made. But he was of the view that Nottingham / Derby had to make their case…
I agree that everyone wants a station but no one want a line!