HS2: Plans for East Midlands transport hub link unveiled

More buses, trains and trams would be provided to link communities to the East Midlands hub of the HS2 rail scheme, under newly-unveiled proposals.

More than 20 villages, towns and cities would have direct access to the high speed rail service's station at Toton.

Regional transport lobby group Midlands Connect said its £2.7bn scheme would create "frequent" connections.

Existing plans to connect towns and cities to the hub have been criticised by historical and conservation groups.

The programme put forward by Midlands Connect - a group of 22 local authorities, enterprise groups, chambers of commerce and regional airports - is split into three phases, with the first focusing on the 10 years before HS2 trains would be scheduled to begin serving the region.

Among the proposals are an extension to Nottingham's tram network, increased bus and train services across the region and work on the A6005 road between Derby and Nottingham.

A second phase - which Midlands Connect said "could be up and running within 20 years" - would include a new railway station at East Midlands Airport, allowing for quicker connections to Derby, Leicester and Nottingham.

The final stage of suggested improvements would see new rail links to the South Derby Growth Zone and Rolls-Royce, and a tram-train serving Long Eaton and planned new housing near the airport.

Citing lower transport spend per head in the East Midlands compared with the rest of England, Midlands Connect has asked for an initial £4.5m in government funding for the first phase to enter the next stage of development.

Chairman Sir John Peace said HS2 would be "a watershed moment for our region", adding aside from better transport links it would "also support the building of new homes, accelerate transformational regeneration and link some of our most deprived communities to nationally-important assets".

The government announced in April HS2 was set to go ahead, with formal approval for construction work to begin granted months after a review said costs could exceed £100bn.

However, a committee of MPs criticised the running of the project, saying it had run "badly off course".

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