Birmingham Airport chief steps up campaign to get high-speed rail link
bring a high-speed rail service to the airport by condemning Birmingham International
station as "tired" and little improved since the 1970s.
services to and from London would stop, Mr Kehoe said failure to plan for a new
station now would cost future jobs and investment and contribute to economic decline
in the West Midlands.
service might look like, envisages trains running from London to Birmingham city
centre and on to the North West, but bypassing the airport/NEC.
and West Midlands opinion.
were devised primarily to benefit Scotland and the north of England.
failed to capitalise on improvements 30 years ago when construction of Birmingham
International and a new fast inter-city service made it possible to travel to
London in 89 minutes.
major regeneration including the International Convention Centre, Symphony Hall,
Brindleyplace and the Bullring shopping centre, he added.
important thing to influence the West Midlands economy" since the arrival of rail
in Birmingham in 1837, Mr Kehoe said: "We have to evolve and welcome the world
– and make it easier for the world to reach us – and we have made some big leaps
forward. But it has to be recognised that what was good in the 1960s and tolerable
in the1970s is not good enough in the 21st century.
than the exciting gateway to the Midlands that it once was.
were in the 1970s."
station, Mr Kehoe said the transport interchange would "plug into" businesses
in the M42 corridor, which is the only significant location in the West Midlands
where economic output is above the national average.
one of the most successful parts of the Midlands.
the airport/NEC could siphon off job opportunities to the South East and also
exacerbate the volume of needless journeys to Heathrow."