Happy New Year from Midlands Connect
January 2023
- Last call for the Nottingham Transport Summit
- Save your space for the Marches Transport Summit
- Join us for our next annual conference
- A5 poll shows drivers spend up to two hours in traffic
- Business and political leaders show support for Worcester rail plans
- Smart Ticketing could save Black Country students money
Last chance to save your spot at Nottingham Transport Summit
Join us for this event in collaboration with Nottingham City Council, as we highlight the exciting transport developments in the city.
Hear from Midlands Connect colleagues, councillors and transport experts at NTU Events and Conferencing, as they discuss the latest and future transport developments in the city.
Nottingham is at the heart of the Midlands and can benefit from many of the schemes championed by Midlands Connect. Two major rail proposals would see Nottingham have better connections to Coventry, Leicester and Lincoln.
This event will have a focus on transport as we head towards a net-zero future. Electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel and public transportation are all hot on the agenda.
There will be speeches and panels, with opportunities for Q&As. Spaces are limited so be sure to sign up for this event as soon as possible.
Join us for our Marches Summit
In February we will be exploring how we can better connect the Midlands and Wales.
Access to and from Mid-Wales is key to the Marches’ economy – areas like Hereford and Shrewsbury form major commercial centres serving communities within Wales.
In 2021, the Government highlighted the importance of such connections in its Union Connectivity Review (UCR), discussing how better transport connectivity could transform communities and boost economic growth.
Since our inception, we have worked closely with the Welsh Government to ensure that transport priorities are aligned on both sides of the border, focussing on projects to the west of our region that could improve access to leisure destinations, workplaces and key services.
The conference will highlight some of the work that has already been done to better-connect the Midlands and Wales, as well as discussing the strategic issues that Midlands Connect and the Welsh Government will pursue together.
Grab your spot for our Annual Conference
Tickets to our annual conference in February are now live
Last year was a significant one for us as we published our refreshed “Strategic Transport Plan” for the Midlands. The refreshed strategy reflected on the social and economic effects of Covid-19, navigating business and trade following the UK's exit from the European Union and addressing the global climate emergency. It built on our thought leadership and research activities; especially in the areas of decarbonisation, EV charging, alternative fuels and rural mobility.
Our 2023 Annual Conference will look at our Strategic Transport Plan one year later to explore the progress that has been made and other projects we will be prioritising for the remainder of the year.
New poll shows that A5 drivers spend up to two hours in traffic
We conducted research showing massive support for improvements to the A5
- Nearly a third of respondents (32%) believe they spend between one and two hours in traffic on the A5
- 75% think improvements would be important for businesses –36% believe upgrades would mean more staff hired by firms
- Over two thirds (70%) agree that A5 improvements are levelling up
- Residents believe the plans have implications for both the economy and the environment.
We polled 500 people from the Hinckley, Nuneaton and Rugby areas who supported plans for improvements to the A5. More than four in five respondents (81%) said the upgrades would be 'important' for the residents in the area.
Many also appreciated the significance for the local economy, with 75% saying it would be important for business with nearly half (48%) saying it would, in their opinion, allow firms to grow and over a third (36%) believe road improvements on the A5 would mean businesses would hire more staff.
Finally, 82% of respondents thought the fumes from cars in traffic on the A5 was ‘impactful’ on local residents and the environment.
We have recommended that improvements to the A5 between Hinckley and Tamworth are considered by the government for funding as part of its third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), which is for the period 2025-2030. This means that project delivery could begin as soon as 2025, less than three years from now.
Business and political leaders in Worcester rally behind Midlands Rail Hub
Our plans would see almost 2m more train seats per year for Worcester residents.
Our Head of Rail, Karen Heppenstall, met Worcester MP, Robin Walker, and other local leaders to celebrate the launch of the Midlands Rail Hub in Worcester.
Our proposed improvements would see one additional train per hour from Hereford to Birmingham, stopping at Bromsgrove, Great Malvern and Droitwich Spa. This added service would create almost 2 million more train seats per year.
Another additional train per hour between Birmingham and Cardiff would also benefit Worcester Parkway station.
Robin Walker MP, commented on the plans:
“I’m really delighted to see the proposals put forward to deliver more regular trains and a better service for the many people who commute between Worcester and Birmingham.
“It’s something I’ve been campaigning about for a long time and I’m very happy to support the Midlands Rail Hub.”
Smart Ticketing could save Black Country students money
Our interns conducted research showing tap-and-go systems could save students like them money on their travels.
Charlie Goddard and Samuel Islam, both interns at Midlands Connect, produced research showing a tap-and-go system in the West Midlands could save students like themselves up to £56 per year.
These savings would be especially beneficial for students in the Black Country travelling to Birmingham universities in the city centre.
If you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at mcadmin@midlandsconnect.uk or drop us a tweet @midsconnect
Further details of our work and news stories can be found at our website www.midlandsconnect.uk
