Agenda item

Report of Portfolio Holder for Strategic Infrastructure and Communications

With the Leader/Portfolio Holder for Strategic Infrastructure and Communications giving apologies, the Deputy Leader/Portfolio Holder for Resources and Neighbourhood Regeneration introduced the East Midlands Gateways Connectivity Study, which is the next stage in increasing connectivity in the Nottingham to Derby corridor.  The output of the Study will be to develop the case and quantify the outputs and benefits from the proposals identified in the HS2 Growth Strategy.

Members added the following:

·  This money enables the linking up of the tram, major roads and the airport to HS2;

·  It is important for Nottingham that links to other cities in Midlands and North are better than they are now;

·  Businesses need to take advantage of HS2 investment to drive jobs growth;

·  There are still issues on the main line Nottingham to London railway route with electrification and extra traffic on route to Luton.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  approve the City Council acting as the lead authority for the preparation of the East Midlands Gateways Connectivity Study under the guidance of the HS2 Strategic Board and Midlands Connect;

(2)  approve expenditure of up to £1.2m on the development of a combined and updated transport model primarily covering the Nottingham conurbation and Derby built up areas and quantification of outputs and benefits of East Midlands Gateways Connectivity Plan for strategic transport options in the A52 corridor, including infrastructure in readiness for the proposed HS2 Station at Toton as set out in the HS2 Growth Strategy, and for a fixed public transport link to East Midlands Airport;

(3)  accept contributions of £0.5m from Midlands Connect, and £0.1m from each of the HS2 Strategic Board, Highways England, HS2 Ltd, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire County Councils, and Derby City Council;

(4)  approve the City Council’s contribution of £0.1m to be funded from the Transport Strategy reserve;

(5)  approve the transport modelling and assessment work be procured by the City Council on behalf of the project partners through a compliant procurement process;

(6)  approve variations to budget allocations and the decision on the award of contract be delegated to the Corporate Director of Development and Growth.

Reasons for decisions

To put in place the necessary management arrangements and resources to enable transport modelling and the East Midlands Gateways Connectivity Study to be progressed on behalf of the HS2 Strategic Board, Midlands Connect, and project partners.

The Study will develop the case and quantify the outputs and benefits

from the proposals identified in the HS2 Growth Strategy, including:

·  public transport and highway improvements in the A52 Nottingham-Derby corridor;

·  transport infrastructure in readiness for proposed HS2 East Midlands Hub Station at Toton;

·  a fixed public transport link to East Midlands Airport.

These will be assessed to maximise economic opportunities in the area and inform future national transport infrastructure investment plans.

Other options considered

Doing nothing risks that economic benefits will not be maximised, particularly

as benefits from the HS2 Station Hub are dependent on achieving high levels

of connectivity to key population and employment centres.

The option of partner organisations (such as Network Rail and Highways England) independently assessing improvements that fall into their sphere of responsibility was considered but the proposed combined approach is favoured due to economic efficiency and benefits of a coordinated approach

ensuring the best outcome for the region as a whole.