Midlands Manifesto

RAIL MANIFESTO MIDLANDS Key Regional Stats In the Midlands, rail contributes: • £4.5bn GVA to the economy; • 85,000 jobs; • £1.2bn in tax revenue.

RIA’s Key UK Asks 1. Continue to invest in major rail schemes post-Coronavirus and support rail’s role in supporting the economic recovery; 2. Increase visibility of rail schemes, including publishing the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline; Williams Rail Review; Integrated Rail Plan and Transport Decarbonisation Plan; 3. Begin a rolling programme of electrification and orders for low carbon rolling stock, in order to decarbonise the network; 4. Bring forward digital signalling work to ensure the UK is able to meet the backlog in signalling work; and 5. Include rail in future trade deals and support the sector as a significant export in its own right.

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The Midlands has significant capabilities as a centre for the rail industry, including major companies being located in Derby and Birmingham, and a UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) Centre of Excellence in Digital Systems located in Birmingham.

However, the Midlands rail infrastructure requires further support. From delivering new railway projects like HS2 and the Midlands Rail Hub, to continuing the electrification of the Midland Mainline, there is much more that can be done to deliver a greener, more effective railway network.

Ahead of May’s local and mayoral elections, RIA has set out four key recommendations for the Midlands’ future political leaders. These align closely with RIA’s Key UK Asks (left).

Recommendation 1 Deliver High Speed 2 in full, including the Eastern Leg, in order to reap the full benefits of the scheme.

HS2 will be a major asset for the UK economy, both whilst it is in construction and when the project is finished. It is expected to generate around £92 billion in benefits to the UK economy.

HS2 trains will stop at more than 25 stations and connect 30 million people with new business and leisure opportunities.

Over the course of construction, it will employ some 30,000 people and generate investment and economic growth for the UK. It is positive to see HS2 Phase 1, from London to Birmingham, proceeding with major construction work, and to see Phase 2a Bill, from the West Midlands to Crewe, given Royal Assent.

However, uncertainty remains over the progress of the so-called Eastern Leg, from the West Midlands to Leeds.

Uncertainty around the Eastern Leg is also an issue for the rail supply industry and can reduce the sector’s ability to prepare for upcoming work. It is vital that the full scheme is given the go-ahead if it is to deliver the full economic and connectivity benefits. ria@riagb.org.uk www.riagb.org.uk

Recommendation 2 Support the Midlands Rail Hub, to deliver greater connectivity within the region.

The Midlands Rail Hub is a strategic £2 billion package of works proposed by the Sub-national Transport body Midlands Connect, particularly focused on transforming east-west rail connections.

The project was awarded £20 million in the March 2020 Budget to develop the scheme’s outline business case.

The collection of improvements plans to strengthen rail links between Leicester, Nottingham, Coventry, Derby, Hereford and Worcester, as well as linking the Midlands more effectively to Wales and the South West and to HS2. It will create space for up to 24 extra passenger trains an hour and reduce journey times and bring 1.6 million more people to within an hour of the region’s towns and communities. It will also create space for 36 extra freight paths a day.

RIA urges that the Midlands Rail Hub is delivered to support UK rail businesses and provide greater connectivity for the region.

Recommendation 3 Support the decarbonisation of the Midlands rail network including the continued electrification of the Midland Mainline and investment in hydrogen and battery rolling stock.

The Midland Mainline electrification programme has successfully been delivered to time and budget up to Corby, but the programme was curtailed in 2017.

Continuing work up to Sheffield would support the decarbonisation of the railway network, ensure key skills and capabilities are retained in the sector and would generate jobs and investment at a crucial time for the UK economy.

The continuation of the Midland Mainline could play a key part as the start of a national rolling programme of electrification, delivering work cost-effectively across the UK. Similarly, further support is required for hydrogen and battery rolling stock, which will help decarbonise branch lines in the UK. A number of organisations based in the Midlands have developed proposals for hydrogen train fleets and 22 Headfort Place, London SW1X 7RY +44 (0)20 7201 0777

are developing battery technology for use on the network. The industry is now ready for fleet orders of these low carbon, self-powered train fleets.

The railway sector is a clean mode of transport already, RIA believes further support is required if it is to reach the Government’s aim of taking all diesel-only trains off the network by 2040 and the legally binding commitment of Net Zero by 2050.

Recommendation 4 Provide the support to develop skills and innovation strategies for the Midlands.

There is the capability to deliver a high-skilled workforce within the region, with one of the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure (NCATI) campuses located in Birmingham.

Developing skills comes hand-in-hand with innovation – a sector that develops new ways of working will attract a new talented workforce.

In line with the RIA and Women in Rail EDI Charter, RIA would like to see the Midlands play a leading role in improving diversity, which in turn will support innovation and skills development.

About RIA The Railway Industry Association is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products.

RIA has 300+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £36 billion in economic growth and £11 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 600,000 people—more than the workforce of Birmingham. It is also a vital industry for the UK’s economic recovery, supporting green investment and jobs in towns and communities across the UK. RIA works to promote the importance of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice and innovation across the industry.

Find out more: www.riagb.org.ukdustry.

ria@riagb.org.uk www.riagb.org.uk