Businesses back direct rail link between Leicester and Coventry

Midlands businesses have backed £100m plans to restore direct rail links between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry, according to a new survey.

Transport body Midlands Connect asked more than 100 firms about its proposal to restart direct services which last ran between the cities in 2004.

It said 93% of them said their staff would benefit from the better connections proposed.

A business case for the scheme is being prepared for the Government.

Midlands Connect conducted its survey last month and said it showed staff at 70% of the businesses surveyed mostly travel to work by car, with staff at a further 17% mostly commuting to work by train.

The survey found 66% of local businesses surveyed said if the train line between Coventry, Leicester, and Nottingham were reconnected, employees would use it more.

The survey said most businesses thought the proposed improvements would make it easier to recruit, meet new customers and help their business to grow.

Midlands Connect said its plans would create over two million extra seats on the region's rail network every year.

The improvements would introduce two new trains each hour, also calling at Loughborough and East Midlands Parkway, and plans to improve line speed along the route, making journeys faster.

Currently, passengers travelling along the corridor have to get off one train at Nuneaton station, change platforms and board another.

Analysis of journeys has shown 3% of trips between Coventry and Leicester are made by rail, compared to 30% of trips between Coventry and Birmingham.

Senior rail programme manager at Midlands Connect Andy Clark said: "The results are overwhelming and show that businesses in Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham want to see improved rail services.

"They see this investment as an example of levelling up their area and helping their economy to grow.

"What the survey also showed is faster and more frequent trains will save businesses money, allow them to recruit more people and grow."

Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "The survey results add to the already overwhelming case to reconnect the railway between these two major cities and help to reduce the reliance on the car.

"This project is important to both the local and regional economies and the government is urged to press on with project development work as a priority within their rail programme."

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