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BCU leaders call on PM not to squander long-term benefits of HS2

UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 26 SEPTEMBER 2023

Failing to deliver HS2 in its entirety will damage the UK economy, threaten thousands of jobs and homes across the West Midlands region, jeopardise ambitious regeneration plans for the city of Birmingham, and squander billions of pounds already invested in the project, warn the leaders of Birmingham City University (BCU).

In a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Vice-Chancellor Professor Philip Plowden and Vice-Chancellor Designate Professor David Mba have also expressed their deep concern that severe cuts to HS2 will “hugely disappoint” graduates of BCU as well as thousands of staff and students who are “familiar with the severe limitations of the West Coast Main Line, which is simply not fit for a 21st century economy”.

The full letter, which has been sent to the Prime Minister, can be read below:

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Dear Prime Minister

We are deeply concerned at indications the Government is planning deep cuts to HS2 which would risk rendering this crucial infrastructure project an expensive white elephant, fulfilling little of its current economic promise for the West Midlands and other regions.

Birmingham City University adjoins the site of HS2’s Birmingham terminal, so we understand very well just how significant the progress is to date, the massive contribution it is making right now to our region in skills and jobs, and the economic regeneration plans already underway.

Any move to limit the reach of HS2, both into central London and north to Manchester, would be to the significant detriment of the city of Birmingham, the West Midlands region, and the business community around us. It would also hugely disappoint the graduates of BCU and other universities in our city, many of whom are excited at the opportunities they will be afforded in years to come by a new spine of connectivity, running from Euston to Manchester, with our region at its heart.

Perhaps more prosaically but no less important, we must also emphasise the desperate need for additional capacity on the services running south to London and north to Manchester. Many of our 3,500 staff and 31,000 students will be familiar with the severe limitations of the West Coast Main Line, which is simply not fit for a 21st century economy and that will only face more challenges in the years ahead if additional capacity is not forthcoming.

We urge you to recognise the advantages HS2 will deliver and the detriment of not delivering the scheme in full. A high-speed line running only between Birmingham and Old Oak Common would squander both the investment committed to the scheme to date and the economic opportunities that will come from linking England’s three major cities.

We urge a rethink that recognises the arguments put forward by, among others, the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority, Andy Street. These include: 

  1. Phase One is already more than 40% complete and depends on later phases to realise its purpose and benefits. A shuttle service between West London and Birmingham would fail to deliver the benefits of levelling up as promised to voters. 
  2. Maintaining the HS2 project would provide a confidence and certainty the UK economy seeks, not least since it has already led to sizeable private investment around the route – especially in the West Midlands.
  3. Further scaling back of HS2 would cause damage to the construction sector and the UK economy as a whole. HS2 has already invested £23 billion into its supply chain, providing jobs and certainty for a construction sector that accounts for 9% of the UK’s GDP and 7% of its employment. Significant job losses are inevitable if the scheme is cut back.
  4. Multi-billion-pound investment plans are in place to transform the areas surrounding HS2’s new station at Birmingham Curzon Street, adjacent to BCU’s City Centre Campus. Cuts to the scheme would threaten regeneration plans, including the creation of 4,000 homes and 36,000 jobs across almost 150 hectares.

Birmingham City University urges you to stay the course on HS2 and balance the scheme’s significant costs against the long-term opportunities this hugely exciting project offers to the economy and the communities of our region.  

Yours sincerely

Professor Philip Plowden, Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University

Professor David Mba, Vice-Chancellor Designate, Birmingham City University

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