Shropshire Star

HS2: Rail revolution could lead to electrification of Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line

A new HS2 station could lead to the electrification of the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line, transport bosses said today.

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Stafford railway station will become a 'HS2 hub' linking Staffordshire and Shropshire to the super fast network.

Sir David Higgins, chairman of the controversial high-speed rail project, confirmed a link connecting Stafford with the £55.7 billion track will be built despite suggestions it would be axed under cost savings.

It was also claimed today the move could have a knock on effect on the surrounding network, with plans to electrify the line between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton and further proposals to extend that route directly to the new hub in Stafford.

Business leaders have hailed the move, saying any improvement in connectivity will be good for the county, and will attract more national and international businesses to set up in the area.

Roger Lawrence, chairman of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority, said the development created "a lot of opportunities" for Shropshire.

He said: "Rather than go into Birmingham and change stations, people will be able to jump on a short journey to Stafford and link up with high speed services and make substantial savings on journey times not just to Euston but also Birmingham Airport too.

"It has always been my view that this link is absolutely vital if we are to benefit from HS2 and is good news also for Shropshire with our aspirations to electrify the line to Wolverhampton and extend it to Stafford.

"People need to stop looking at the downsides of HS2. This is a substantial investment in infrastructure which helps links not just to London but also to the north and Scotland. I absolutely believe it will be good for business."

The new link from Stafford could connect our region to London Euston in 53 minutes.

Bosses say HS2 link will attract business

Business leaders in Shropshire today hailed a link to HS2 as good for attracting more companies to use the county as a base.

Shropshire Chamber of Commerce says any improvement to the county's infrastructure spells good news for the local economy, as it will help ongoing plans to attract new business to relocate to the area.

Richard Sheehan, chief executive of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "Having a hub to the HS2 project in what is relatively close proximity to Shropshire will be important for many reasons.

"It will impact people travelling for business, whether from the north or south, or people travelling from Shropshire to London.

"We are in a relatively central position and when people are looking to relocate here, whether from the UK or abroad they will look at the connectivity that is around here.

"As for electrifying the line, there have been a number of projects and assessments undertaken over the years.

"I know from the last assessment that was done, it comes with a number of issues, there are a number of bridges that would need to be raised.

"In large metropolitan areas, electrified rail is something that is taken for granted.

"As we try to use less and less fossil fuels, particularly for the benefit of the environment and trying to become more sustainable, electrification of trains, cars, and even maybe one day in the future, aeroplanes is something that will be very important and we will continue to lobby Government and our MPs to keep it on the agenda."

Sir David Higgins, chairman of the controversial £55.7 billion high-speed rail project, today launched a 56-page report into how HS2 will benefit Midlands and northern towns.

He said: "Two years ago, local leaders asked me to make sure that HS2 was fully integrated into the existing transport and local economies. It's an aspiration we've sought to realise, but even I underestimated how far that that principle would take us.

"Much of the early focus on HS2 has been on journey times to London. However, as my report and the work by Stafford and surrounding areas proves, it is the inter-regional benefits and early planning from councils and local authorities to harness these which will transform areas such as Staffordshire in the longer term."

It is currently planned for one high speed train an hour to run from Stafford to London on the high-speed line with 8,800 extra seats in each direction per day.

A junction will be built between the new line at Lichfield linking with the West Coast Main Line at Handsacre.

Staffordshire has been one of the most vocal opponents to HS2 with the line cutting a 45-mile diagonal swathe through the countryside from south of Lichfield to Stone.

Both Staffordshire County Council and Stafford Borough Council have backed calls for the project to be scrapped but today welcomed the news Stafford would become a 'high-speed hub' station. The line from Stafford is planned to open in 2026.

Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said it was significant not just for his county but for the wider region including Shropshire.

He said: "The Stafford stop is hugely important as it will not only benefit Stafford, but is the gateway to open up the economic benefits and opportunities for the hundreds of thousands of people living in Shropshire, the Black Country and Stoke-on-Trent."

Patrick Farrington, leader of Stafford Borough Council, said: "We are having huge interest from developers and businesses alike who want to be a part of the exciting developments and changes happening in Stafford.

"We are perfectly placed to take full advantage of the introduction of HS2 as we are located in the centre of the country and will be less than an hour away from London, with great links to other major cities."

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