HS2

Solihull council gets £10.2m cash boost for HS2

Solihull Council has secured £10.2m from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WCMA) to deliver transport and infrastructure investment in the area ahead of HS2.

The combined investment in the plans will underpin the growth potential of the area, which is an estimated 90,000 jobs and an increase of £5.3bn per annum in GVA for the West Midlands up to 2050.

Part of the second phase of projects to be delivered under the UK Central Solihull growth and development programme— the funding being used to support a number of schemes including key route improvements and investment in sustainable travel.

Central to the plans is improving the links between the town and the area of the UK Central ‘Hub’, home to the new HS2 Interchange station, which includes Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham Business Park and Jaguar Land Rover.

Councillor Ted Richards, Cabinet member for transport and highways, said: “Investment in our key schemes across the borough will help make sure our infrastructure is ready for the growth created by HS2 and allow us to ensure we continue to have the right conditions for people to live, work and invest.”

Councillor Roger Lawrence, WMCA portfolio holder for transport and leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We are committed to using the powers and funding being transferred from Whitehall to the West Midlands to bring about economic growth that benefits all of our communities.

“We need an efficient and fully connected transport system to support that growth, which is why the WMCA is helping to fund infrastructure projects of this nature which will not only benefit Solihull but also Birmingham, Coventry and other key destinations across the West Midlands.”