Midlands Connect has today (Friday, 28 February) put forward the case to reinstate the direct rail link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham.

The transport development body submitted its Strategic Outline Business Case for the reopening to the government in 2021. It proposed to reinstate rail links between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham.

Midlands Connect believes that the project is still significant, perhaps even more important now. It has, therefore, refreshed the original Strategic Outline Business Case for the project.

The Business Case sets out that the project could bring overall benefits worth £400m, including nearly £150m wider economic benefits for the Midlands region.

The figures are significantly higher than those given in 2021, which Midlands Connect attributes to “a more accurate understanding of how people shift from road to rail”.

At today’s event – a conference held at Coventry Transport Museum – Midlands Connect launched its new report.

At present, only three per cent of journeys between Coventry and Leicester are made by rail. In contrast, rail journeys account for thirty per cent of trips between Coventry and Birmingham.

Local Labour MPs Mary Creagh (Coventry East), Rachel Taylor MP (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) and Jodie Gosling (Nuneaton) attended the event, along with Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby. Business leaders also attended, including Corin Crane (Coventry and Warwickshire Chambers) and Richard Blackmore (East Midlands Chamber).

Attendees held what Midlands Connect describes as “a lively discussion” about the benefits of the project to people and businesses in the Midlands.

The plans, which are supported by two local football clubs, propose increasing services and cutting times for rail journeys between Coventry, Nuneaton, Leicester and Nottingham.

Two faster services would run from Coventry to Leicester and Nottingham and would call at Hinckley, Leicester and Loughborough. An extra local service would stop at Coventry, Coventry Arena, Bedworth, Bermuda Park and Nuneaton.

Last year, Midlands Connect outlined the benefits to local universities of improving services between the three cities.

“It was so great to be at the event today, to hear support for our project from leaders across the Midlands. This scheme is so important, as we move to decarbonise transport, we must make rail the most attractive option possible. Creating direct routes between major centres is the best way to do this.”

Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive Ofiicer, Midlands Connect