New analysis by research and development body Midlands Connect has reportedly shown a rail connection between Coventry, Leicester & Nottingham would create at least 3,000 jobs.
These jobs would be produced during the lifetime of the construction and in the supportive supply chain, both during and post build.
Job creation peaks in 2031 at around 850 and averages at around 400 every year. The majority of the roles predicted are skilled occupations in engineering, operatives or project management.
Over the course of the seven-year project, linking Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham by rail could generate an additional £68m in economic value as a result of jobs created in both of the Midlands, the report suggests.
An additional £11m in Social Value benefits – which include environmental benefits, wellbeing benefits and social benefits – would also be generated.
This is on top of the traditional transport and wider economic benefits outlined in the business case, which amounted to £170m at the last update.
Journey times along the route would be cut significantly, with trips from Coventry to Leicester falling from 54 to as low as 30 minutes, with trips from Coventry to Nottingham falling to around 65 minutes.
Loughborough and East Midlands Parkway could also have new, direct and more frequent links to Coventry.
Midlands Connect concludes that this would increase rail travel and therefore revenue.
Currently, just 3% of trips between Coventry and Leicester are made by train; compared to 30% of journeys made between Coventry and Birmingham.
Integrated transport programme lead at Midlands Connect, Andrew Clark, said: “This project is so much more than just a rail scheme, it will create high-skilled and high-paid jobs, grow our economy and kick-start careers, thanks to the creation of apprenticeship roles.
“At the moment it can take up to 70 minutes to travel less than 25 miles between Coventry and Leicester, and passengers have to change trains halfway – it’s simply not good enough – our plans will fix that and link key Midland cities, once and for all.”
Achievements and innovations sustainable transport planning will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table!
