HS2 station will open early to maximise economic benefits

An agreement between the government, Midlands Connect and East Midlands Councils is aiming to maximise the economic benefits of the HS2 high-speed railway line.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has agreed to partially open the East Midlands Hub Station in Toton in the 2020s, several years before the high-speed line between London and Birmingham opens fully in 2033.

The new station will sit on the outskirts of Nottingham as part of phase 2b of the project, and it’s hoped that opening it early to local services will help stimulate development of the area. There is an Innovation Campus planned nearby with the potential to create 10,000 jobs.

The DfT also agreed to deliver road infrastructure around the hub, and relocate a Network Rail depot to another site in the East Midlands to help the development of the hub.

Additionally, work will be done to improve services on the Midlands main line following the decision not to electrify the stretch between Kettering and Sheffield, and Midlands Connect and East Midlands Councils are pressing to ensure a link between the Midlands main line and HS2 phase 2b.

Midlands Connect chairman Sir John Peace said investment in transport and infrastructure in the East Midlands could have a “transformative impact on its economy” and quality of life. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the region and I am looking forward to further meetings early in 2018 to keep up the momentum,” he continued.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling said: “I welcome the ambitious growth strategy put forward by the East Midlands leaders to maximise the benefits of HS2 through the development of an Innovation Campus, garden settlements and better connections at Toton. We have also invested £25m to help Midlands Connect develop a transformational transport strategy, and will work with them on their proposals."