Birmingham International Airport chief steps up high speed rail campaign
“Journey times from Birmingham to London are just five minutes faster than they were in the 1970s.”
Calling for a hub to be built at or very close to BIA, the NEC and the existing station, Mr Kehoe said the transport interchange would “plug into” businesses in the M42 corridor, which is the only significant location in the West Midlands where economic output is above the national average.
He added: “Without the hub, there is a risk of long-term economic decline across one of the most successful parts of the Midlands.
“A high-speed line that runs direct from central Birmingham to Heathrow and bypasses the airport/NEC could siphon off job opportunities to the South East and also exacerbate the volume of needless journeys to Heathrow.”
An abridged version of Mr Keogh’s article will appear in the Birmingham Post tomorrow
