Connectivity and sustainability boosts for Newark and wider East Midlands say Rishi Sunak and Robert Jenrick at Conservative Party conference, despite axing of HS2
Connectivity and sustainability boosts for Newark and the wider East Midlands have been announced at the Conservative Party conference.
In his Network North announcement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak scrapped HS2 to Manchester.
However, he also revealed what the Tories are billing as a transformative plan set to elevate the infrastructure and connectivity of Newark and the East Midlands.
The plan, outlined by Member of Parliament Robert Jenrick, promises substantial investments and upgrades he says will undoubtedly reshape the region.
Key Highlights are:
1: £1.5bn Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, translating to nearly £1,000 per person, it is said. This funding injection is set to revolutionise transport infrastructure, marking a pivotal step towards more efficient transportation systems.
2: Nottingham-Newark Rail Upgrade. The Nottingham-Newark rail is slated for a significant facelift, ushering in a new era of efficient travel. A substantial reduction in direct journey times from Nottingham to Leeds by approximately an hour, and to York/Newcastle by around 50 minutes. Faster connections promise a more interconnected East Midlands, fostering economic growth, an increase in productivity and community integration.
3. A614/A6097 Corridor Scheme Acceleration. The A614/A6097 Corridor Scheme is poised for improvements at six crucial junctions between Bingham and Ollerton. These enhancements will streamline travel along the corridor, ensuring greater efficiency and convenience for residents and businesses alike.
4. Increased funding for BSIP (Building Safety Investment Programme). The Midlands is set to augmented support as the Building Safety Investment Programme (BSIP) receives increased funding. This boost will pave the way for elevated safety standards and enhanced infrastructure across our communities.
5. Midlands Road Resurfacing Fund. The Midlands Road Resurfacing Fund is gearing up to make our roads smoother and safer. This commitment to road infrastructure ensures a better driving experience for all, addressing vital aspects of safety and efficiency.
In response to this announcement, Mr Jenrick said: "I’m delighted by the news today that the government will proceed with a major investment in the Nottingham to Newark Castle railway line.
“This will be welcomed by campaigners like the Newark Business Club. It will make commuting to work, college or for shopping in Nottingham and beyond far faster and indeed bring more travellers to Newark.
“Scrapping part of HS2, a project massively over budget and delayed, which would have had minimal effect on Newark and eastern Nottinghamshire in order to make these and hundreds of other major investments is a very logical and sensible decision.
“The choice was either to go along with the consensus view and spend billions more on a modest reduction in the journey times between London and Manchester or make a tough decision and spend every penny of that on the infrastructure investments we all benefit from in our daily lives like east-west rail in the Midlands and the north, road improvements and buses.
“The PM has made the right long term decision for our area and the whole country.”
Commenting on HS2, Sir John Peace, chairman of Midlands Connect, said: “We are disappointed and disheartened by the HS2 announcement.
“We must not start from scratch, we must work at pace to deliver HS2 Phase 1 all the way to Euston. There are also lessons to be learnt from the HS2 story so far.
“The Midlands Rail Hub and road programmes including the A5 which have been announced today resonate with us, these are our transformational East-West priorities for the region, which we recommended and have been progressing with government.
“We are now calling for more detail on timescales and plan of action, and asking for a high-level urgent meeting with ministers, to ensure these plans and the benefits for the Midlands are delivered as quickly as possible.
“We will now work, like we always do, cross-party and in an open and collaborative way with all involved.”
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Businesses in the East Midlands are exasperated at the HS2 saga that has been playing out for over a decade now and this latest embarrassing U-turn is another nail in the coffin for the government’s levelling up mantra, which shows little sign of arriving in our region.
“While lots of the discussion today will be about the impact on Manchester and other parts of the North, the East Midlands continues to be bottom of the pile when it comes to public transport investment.
“Much like the trains travelling on our Victorian rail infrastructure, we find ourselves once again at a standstill, far away from the destination we want to reach and with next to no idea how we’re supposed to get there.
“Rail in our region has been a political hot potato for decades – we are still waiting for Midland Main Line electrification to be delivered and plans for the HS2 Eastern Leg were scaled back in the Integrated Rail Plan, resulting in areas like Chesterfield, Staveley and Toton losing out on significant economic regeneration benefits.
“At a time when we need to demonstrate to the rest of the world that we’re a country with big ambition, there is instead a complete inability to deliver major infrastructure projects, as the chopping and changing of Government administrations is reflected in policy indecision.
“The East Midlands is a world-class producer of products. This demands a world-class transport infrastructure to get these goods and services across the country, and around the globe.
“This announcement damages confidence and has real-world impacts in terms of job creation and business investment, not to mention job retention among the numerous East Midlands businesses that play a key role in the HS2 supply chain.
“Government is failing one of its basic principles – to use economic policy that creates an environment in which business can thrive, invest and create jobs. Forget levelling up – it feels like we are being levelled down in the East Midlands. Again.”
On HS2, MR Jenrick added: A clear choice: Birmingham to Manchester a few minutes quicker or millions to invest in Nottinghamshire and the Midlands.
"We've taken a long-term decision that will massively improve rail, roads and busses that we all use in our daily lives."
