LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE JOINING TOGETHER TO SPEAK WITH A SINGLE VOICE IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW HIGH-SPEED LINE, WRITES PHILIP SHERRATT

The East Midlands region is backing HS2. The high-speed route is planned to reach the area in 2033 as part of Phase 2b, with a hub station at Toton, midway between Derby and Nottingham, on the eastern leg from the West Midlands to Yorkshire.
Responding to this opportunity, local authorities and businesses have come together under the banner of the East Midlands HS2 strategic board, which seeks to provide leadership and direction on issues relating to HS2 and help the region make the most of the opportunities it offers.
Cllr Jon Collins, leader of Nottingham City Council, chairs the board. He sees two primary reasons for the board’s existence – to build a single voice and consensus around a station location and to form a clear idea of the opportunity an HS2 station offers.