Mansfield businessman and Nottinghamshire Lord Lieutenant says HS2 must happen

Speaking at Midlands Connect’s annual conference in Birmingham, Sir John, who is Midland Connect’s chairman and also Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, said: “Don’t dither, don’t delay, deliver HS2 all the way.”

He said there could be a ‘golden decade of growth and economic prosperity’ for the East Midlands if the project is delivered.

Sir John said: “At Midlands Connect we are one of HS2's firmest supporters and backers.

“We stand foursquare behind the project and do so proudly. However, HS2 isn’t some project to be debated and discussed – it’s is a real project delivering real benefits to communities throughout the midlands and that is why I back it.

"Long before HS2 trains start rolling into the West Midlands, Britain’s biggest infrastructure project is delivering for the region.

“I back it because more than 6,800 people are now employed in HS2’s construction in the West Midlands, with thousands more jobs supported through the wider supply chain

I back it because 540 people who were out of work in the West Midlands have been helped into jobs on HS2.

I back it because over 340 apprentices from the region have started new roles on HS2, and investment in T-Levels recently tripled.

But its more than that.

"Everyone knows that Goldman Sachs, moved in Birmingham, in part, I’m sure, due to their knowledge that HS2 is coming here.

“And it will be the same for other, big, global firms in the months and years ahead.

I want the same for the East Midlands, that boom that Birmingham is seeing.

"The East Midlands has the lowest, per head, transport spend for any UK region.

"We need to lift that up, lift our gaze, lift our aspirations and go for growth.

We still have some uncertainty and we would like that to be cleared up, quickly.

“Don't dither, don't delay, we have to deliver HS2 all the way.

“That connection for East Midlands Parkway, Nottingham, Derby and Chesterfield, plus a new station at Toton, would give the East Midlands what we see in the west – a golden decade of growth and economic prosperity.

"Added to the power of the Midlands Rail hub that would be truly transformative.”

Changes

In November 2021, the Government dropped plans for a HS2 hub station at Toton, near Nottingham, in favour of a high-speed railway line going to East Midlands Parkway instead.

The HS2 high-speed rail project initially proposed a line from London to Birmingham, before a branch to Leeds, serving the East Midlands at Toton, but the Government has scaled back the Birmingham-Leeds line, in favour of two smaller and separate high-speed lines, with one connecting Birmingham to East Midlands Parkway.

And there was more bad news last month, with national reports suggesting the eastern leg of the high-speed rail link could be dropped entirely by ministers in a bid to save hundreds of millions of pounds – sparking Sir John’s rallying cry.