Regional transport body Midlands Connect has launched an online consultation to get business’ views on improvements to the rail route between Nottingham, Newark and Lincoln. The survey asks firms to give their views on current rail connectivity and to outline how improving them would impact their trade, productivity and access to skilled workers.
Midlands Connect is urging as many businesses as possible to get involved and make their views heard.
The potential improvement plans would see the number of hourly train services between Nottingham, Newark and Lincoln double from one, to two trains every hour. As well as this, improvements to signalling and track would improve journey times, reducing end to end trips from 55 minutes to 45 minutes.
Line speed work is expected to be completed between 2022 and 2026, while Midlands Connect is examining ways to improve service frequency in the medium term.
The consultation is being supported by MPs Karl McCartney and Lilian Greenwood, local councils including Nottinghamshire County Council and Lincolnshire County Council as well the Lincolnshire Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Business.
The survey is open until Friday 11th February at 5pm and can be accessed here
Commenting, Head of Rail Karen Heppenstall said:
“We are calling on employers and businesses to get involved in our online consultation to let us know their views. We want to know what the impact could be on them if we improve the rail route and specifically, if it could lead to more jobs and growth in the local economy.
“The case for upgrades on this route is clear: slow and infrequent rail services between Nottingham and Lincoln mean that only a small proportion of journeys along this corridor are made by train. Midlands Connect is committed to changing that and to gathering the best possible evidence outlining why these improvements are so sorely needed.”
About Midlands Connect
Midlands Connect is the transport partner of the Midlands Engine, and the Midlands’ Sub-national Transport Body. Midlands Connect researches, develops and champions long-term transport projects which will provide the biggest possible economic, social and environmental benefits for the Midlands and the rest of the UK.
They examine every option for improving major transport infrastructure in our region. The fundamental aim of these improvements is to transform regional and UK gateways, bringing the Midlands closer together and accelerating cost-effective improvements to unlock east-west connectivity that will enable the Midlands’ economies to work more effectively together.
Their 25-year transport strategy for the region has the potential to add £5 billion a year to the UK economy, contributing to the Midlands Engine vision of creating 300,000 additional jobs by 2030 and growing the economy by £54 billion. Our partnership is made up of 22 local authorities, nine Local Enterprise Partnerships, East Midlands and Birmingham airports, and chambers of commerce stretching from the Welsh border to the Lincolnshire coast.
The partnership also includes the Department for Transport, Network Rail, Highways England and HS2 Ltd, who they work alongside to drive an unprecedented level of collaboration for the good of the Midlands and the UK.
The Midlands Connect Strategy, as well as its latest reports, can be downloaded here
