HS2 Increasing Regeneration and Tourism for local areas.

HS2 is expected to spark major regeneration around the Toton area. Nottinghamshire County Council have backed ambitious plans for the formation of an East Midlands Development Corporation.

The Corporation is expected to help secure Government and private investment to add around £4.8 billion to the economy of the East Midlands each year and create more than 84,000 jobs.

Consequently, Nottinghamshire county councillors agreed to contribute £1.5 million towards the vision. This £235 million plan aims to help the East Midlands fight back post-Covid and post-Brexit.

Development Schemes

This is part of a £4.5 million contribution from the council areas where its development schemes are located, including Toton and Chetwynd.

The HS2 Hub Station at Toton will be used as the super-connected centrepiece of a new Garden of Innovation. This will feature a new community of 4,500 homes and innovation district bringing thousands of new jobs to the area.

The planned areas of HS2 regeneration also include Ratcliff-on-Soar. This is a plan to transform one of the UK’s last coal-fired power stations into an energy hub.

In addition, East Midlands Airport, which is already the UK’s largest airfreight hub, could be the centrepiece of an Inland Freeport.

The corporation is a partnership of councils, businesses, universities and other organisations.

Nottinghamshire County Council Coun. Kay Cutts MBE said:

"I’m proud of the way Nottinghamshire has come together with council leaders, universities and business from across the East Midlands to show we are serious about our ambitions to work together and recover from the pandemic.

“Significantly, it also has the support of the Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick.

“Our location in the heart of Britain makes us the perfect place to prove that “levelling up” is more than a headline."

HS2 direct rail service to Cumbria supports Lake District tourism

The proposed high-speed direct rail service connecting passengers travelling between Carlisle and London will also support the Lake District’s 2040 Vision for Visitor Travel.

Current plans include work at Carlisle station that will enable HS2 trains to stop there. In addition, it will reduce journey times between Carlisle and London by almost an hour. This will enable more people to access Cumbria’s unique tourism offer, which supports the National Park’s economic growth and sustainable travel ambitions.

HS2 will offer some of the lowest carbon emissions per passenger kilometre – seven times less than passenger cars and 17 times less than domestic air travel.

Greener travel

Tourism is vital to the region’s economy, but changing the way the growing number of people travel to and around the Lakes is integral to reducing carbon emissions and protecting its natural heritage.

Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 Ltd said:

"HS2 will revolutionise the way we travel around Britain.

“High-speed rail connections will make it easier for people to travel to their favourite destinations and provide a cleaner, greener way to do it."

As well as delivering a cleaner travel solution, HS2 will provide the quickest mode of travel between the capital and Carlisle. It will slice almost an hour off the current fastest journey time by rail, reducing it down to just two hours and 23 minutes.

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