Birmingham's Eastside plans must change to accommodate high speed rail
Mar 11 2010 by Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Post
It will have pedestrian links to Moor Street and New Street stations which could include a moving pavement or “travelator” system, as found in many airports, or a “people mover” system similar to a light rail or tram system, according to the Government’s study.
Mr Brown said: “For 150 years, rail lines have gone into London. Now, Birmingham will be the hub for the whole country.
“You have a huge number of jobs created in the construction of this, we think about 10,000.
“And 2,000 jobs will be created to operate and service the line.”
Business leaders said a high speed rail network would create more jobs in the city.
But Conservatives accused the Government of failing to include Scotland and Wales, and said the Government was not fully committed to building a line north of Birmingham.
A new station “could be constructed from steel, concrete and glass with the main platforms elevated on columns”, the Government’s High Speed Two report said.
But the study warned that the new station would mean scrapping plans to build offices and parks on Birmingham’s Eastside area.
It said: “There would be a major adverse impact on current strategic regeneration plans for the Eastside area, which overlaps the proposed station site and incorporates proposals for a mixed use scheme of around 130,000m2, including office, retail and leisure space, a Birmingham University development as well as a stretch of open park.”
The second new station, known as Birmingham Interchange, will be about 2km from the existing Birmingham International station and 1km from junction 6 of the M42.
It will have four tracks and be connected to Birmingham International Airport, the NEC and the existing Birmingham International rail station.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said he accepted the proposal for a new Curzon Street station - and also backed an interchange station, “but only on the basis that an appropriate funding package is identified.”
