Members of the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum have given a ‘cautious welcome’ to the Government’s plans for a new High Speed route from London to Birmingham and beyond.
The survey which took place at the end of 2011 saw over 90% of DDRF member organisations respond, with three quarters of those polled, supporting the government’s plans for a new railway.
A similar number believed that High Speed 2 would offer direct benefits to the economy of the East Midlands region, with 63 member organisations keen to supply goods and services into the High Speed project.
However, DDRF members also expressed a number of concerns around HS2 procurement processes with one major supplier in the region suggesting that framework contracts are proving difficult to access, whilst others called for HS2 Limited to engage more proactively with the local supply chain.
Members were also clear that the greatest benefit to UK PLC would occur once HS2 was extended beyond Birmingham, and they also made clear that HS2 should serve a station within Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire on route to Leeds.
The DDRF is awaiting the results of the Government’s High Speed Rail consultation, and if a decision is made to proceed with HS2 will be looking to set up a meet the buyer session with HS2 Ltd so that member organisations can showcase the skills and services that will help build the new railway.
