At a conference at Coventry Transport Museum today (28 Feb 2025), Midlands Connect made the case to reinstate the direct rail link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham. In 2021, Midlands Connect submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case to the government, proposing the links between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham were reinstated. It is clear the project is still significant, and Midlands Connect has refreshed the original Strategic Outline Business Case for the project, which has only become more vital since its original submission in 2021. The project could create £400m overall benefits including almost £150m wider economic benefits for the region. Due to a more accurate understanding of how people shift from road to rail, the benefits are much higher than the previous SOBC submission in 2021. The event today saw the launch of a report which detailed plans to improve rail connections between the three cities. Currently, just 3% of journeys between Coventry and Leicester are made by rail, compared to 30% of journeys between Coventry and Birmingham. Political representatives including Mary Creagh MP, Rachel Taylor MP, Jodie Gosling MP, and Sir Peter Soulsby were joined by business leaders such as Corin Crane (Coventry and Warwickshire Chambers) and Richard Blackmore (East Midlands Chamber). The event saw a lively discussion of how this project can support the people and businesses of the Midlands. Mary Creagh, MP for Coventry East, said: “This project is vital to the future of our three great cities. It would help reduce journey times and create access to work for hundreds of thousands of people. I will be pushing hard for this much needed infrastructure investment in our region as part of Labour’s plan for growth.” Leicester City Mayor, Peter Soulsby, said: “Coventry and Leicester are the two biggest cities without a direct rail link. This crucial scheme will reconnect them, directly helping travellers and supporting the local economies of Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham. “With rail lines through Leicester at capacity, hindering the development of both passenger and freight trains, this scheme is urgently needed. By increasing rail freight capacity, the scheme will remove HGVs from the highway network, reducing carbon and improving air quality – which is great news for Leicester.” Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, said: “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.” The plans will see an increase in services and a reduction in journey times for those travelling between Coventry, Nuneaton, Leicester, and Nottingham by rail; making it a more attractive option compared to driving. There will be two faster services from Coventry to Leicester and Nottingham, calling at Hinckley, Leicester, and Loughborough. An additional local service will stop Coventry, Coventry Arena, Bedworth, Bermuda Park and Nuneaton. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Midlands Connect is refreshing its strategic outline business case (SOBC) for its Coventry-Leicester-Nottingham rail improvement scheme. Current rail provisions between Coventry and Leicester mean passengers must change at Nuneaton, making for a longer and more frustrating journey. Midlands Connect plans to reinstate a direct service between the two cities. Political representatives including Mary Creagh MP, Jodie Gosling MP and Rachel Taylor MP will be joined by business leaders such as Corin Crane (Coventry and Warwickshire Chambers) and Richard Blackmore (East Midlands Chamber). Friday 28th February, Coventry Transport Museum Contact: ciarajagger@midlandsconnect.uk 0781 218 1872 Agenda 09:30-10:00 | Arrival, coffee and networking. 10:00-10:20 | Opening remarks from Maria Machancoses and introduction to the scheme from Andy Clark. 10:20-10:30 | Keynote speech from Mary Creagh, MP for Coventry East 10:30-11:15 | Panel: Connecting communities – uniting the East and West Midlands. 11:15-11:30 | Break. 11:30-12:20 | Panel: Bringing together business – the case for productivity. 12:20-12:30 | Closing remarks. 12:30 | Lunch. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Local MP, Max Wilkinson, met Midlands Connect and rail bosses to hear about the plans for nearly 300 trains a week extra going through Cheltenham due to the £1.75 billion Midlands Rail Hub project. This would deliver around 4 million extra seats each year for passengers on the key railway route between Cheltenham and Birmingham. This would be through an extra four trains on the route each hour, two in each direction. At the meeting, Midlands Connect and Max Wilkinson MP, were also joined by West Midlands Rail Executive. The project will also deliver a jobs boost, with more than 12,750 roles are expected to result from the Midlands Rail Hub programme with construction expected to run from 2025 to 2033.  In 2023, the previous Government committed to ‘full’ delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub, and in February last year, an additional £123m was allocated towards the project, to progress the detailed engineering designs. MP, Max Wilkinson, said:  “Cheltenham’s rail connections are very important for our local economy. Improved links are vital for our town – primarily for business travellers, but also for leisure trips. Whether it’s to the Midlands, towards Bristol, the North or London, we’ll benefit from easier access to and from our town. I’m interested to hear more about the positive opportunities offered by the Midlands Rail Hub and other future Improvements too.” Paul Butters, Director of Communications at Midlands Connect, said: “It was great to meet Max, brief him on the plans and explain how the Midlands Rail Hub could deliver a massive transport boost for the town. Delivering faster and more frequent trains to Cheltenham would make a massive difference and we are working hard to deliver it. “I look forward to working with Max in the months and years ahead to deliver this vital scheme for the region.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

BOOSTING inner city connectivity, work has begun on a new 85-metre-long walking and cycling bridge over the River Trent in Nottingham. Nottingham City Council has signed a £12.6m delivery agreement with Balfour Beatty for the network arch bridge, which will be 20 metres high from its deck to its peak, weighing in at 160 tonnes, or roughly equivalent to the weight of a blue whale. It is expected that more than 100 people will be employed during the project, including four apprentices. The new foot and cycle bridge will link the north side of the river, where the new Trent Basin community of 350 homes continues to take shape, and the south side of the river, where sports facilities, riverside walks and green spaces are close by. Multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard is also part of the scheme, delivering project and cost management, and health and safety services. The firm is operating under Perfect Circle’s unique collaboration and was appointed via the SCAPE Consultancy Framework. Ricky Lee, associate director of project management at Pick Everard, said: “This is a landmark scheme for Nottingham City Council and the wider community, delivering improved cycle and pedestrian connections and wider social benefits across the city. “The bridge itself will be one of longest single-spanning network arch bridges for cyclists and pedestrians in the UK, and naturally a project of this scale requires extensive collaboration across various stakeholders to ensure it is a successful and rewarding scheme for residents and those visiting the city. “We’re looking forward to work commencing on site, which complements wider regeneration efforts across the city and recognises Nottingham as a sustainable place to work and live.” Construction timeline: Errol Wisby, portfolio director at Balfour Beatty, said: “We’re pleased to have partnered with Nottingham City Council and SCAPE to deliver this landmark project, which will enhance connectivity and promote sustainable travel in Nottingham city centre. “We now look forward to works commencing in earnest and seeing the positive impact this project will have on Nottingham and its residents both now and in the future.” The new bridge will be the first built in the city since the 1950s – a key new route between the north side of the river, encompassing popular Colwick Park along with the regenerating Trent Basin area, and the south side of the river with its many sports facilities, including the City Ground, Trent Bridge, Holme Pierrepont and Nottingham Rugby Club. By creating new connections between communities, green spaces, riverside paths and amenities, the bridge will make it easier for people living and working in the local area to travel in a more sustainable way. The bridge is entirely funded by the Transforming Cities Fund, provided by Central Government. The bridge will be the flagship, and final, project to come out of the City Council’s Transforming Cities Fund programme. In addition to the construction of the bridge, work is underway to ensure that it will be well connected to a high-quality cycle route on Daleside Road and wider sustainable transport connections through to the city centre, as well as to along the banks of the river to Colwick Park. Councillor Neghat Khan, Nottingham City Council leader and executive member for strategic regeneration, transport and communications, said: “I’m delighted to share that Nottingham City Council has officially partnered with Balfour Beatty, our trusted lead delivery partner, to bring our exciting new walking and cycling bridge to life. This ambitious project, fully funded by Central Government through the Transforming Cities Fund, marks a significant step toward a greener, more connected future. “I’m eager to see construction progress and watch this landmark take shape on our city’s skyline. Once completed, the bridge will enhance Nottingham’s cycling and pedestrian network, providing a safe, traffic-free route over the river and empowering more people to travel sustainably and healthily.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has announced that it has awarded the Contract for Phase 2 of construction works on its £100m regeneration project to Farrans Construction, as it continues to transform its terminal facilities to dramatically improve the passenger experience and help unlock economic growth for the region. With the terminal extension (Phase 1) due to handover in Summer 2025, the refurbishment of the existing terminal (Phase 2) of LBA: REGEN is expected to complete in Winter 2026, setting up an exciting period of development for the airport. Farrans is a leading building and civil engineering contractor which operates across the UK and Ireland. The company is already on-site completing Phase 1 of the project which involves the construction of the 9,500m2, three-storey terminal extension (pictured). Passengers will benefit from more seating, faster security, new shops and eateries, and a larger baggage reclaim area and immigration hall, as well as improved access for passengers with restricted mobility. In Phase 2, Farrans will be undertaking a full refurbishment of the existing terminal. Works will be delivered in multiple sub-phases to minimise disruption to customers and allow the airport to operate as close to normal as possible. Improvements include the creation of new staircases, lifts and escalators to provide an open plan feel which will complement the new lighter and brighter terminal extension. Remodelled internal spaces will allow improved passenger movement and there will be brand new security and arrivals facilities, World Duty Free and shops, bars and restaurants. By 2030, the regeneration has the potential to create 1,500 new direct jobs at LBA and 4,000 new indirect jobs, as well as contribute a total of £940 million to the local economy*. The regeneration will also help LBA to further decarbonise its operations, as outlined in the airport’s 2030 Net Zero Carbon Roadmap, with the installation of new all electric heating, lighting and machinery, including new baggage belts. It is expected that airlines attracted by the regeneration will accelerate the deployment of their newest, quietest and most efficient aircraft at the airport, in turn reducing the overall environmental impact of LBA’s operations. Vincent Hodder, Chief Executive of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Farrans on Phase 2 of our LBA: REGEN project. We’ve already created a strong working relationship with the team on Phase 1 and as we transition into Phase 2, we’re excited to be able to take our customers along with us on this journey. “It’s also an opportunity to let our customers know that while this important work gets underway, there will be temporary changes to the terminal while we deliver this new and improved customer experience. LBA: REGEN is the first major improvement to our terminal since its opening in 1968 and is long overdue. It’s vitally important to upgrade LBA to the world-class facility Yorkshire deserves.” Cathal Montague, Regional Director at Farrans Construction, said: “We are pleased to be continuing our strong working relationship with Leeds Bradford Airport as they progress with this important improvement project which will have long term benefits for this region. Our experience in the aviation sector has enabled us to work collaboratively with our client to ensure the airport’s operations have continued without disruption, and we will be putting in place similar plans as we move forwards into Phase 2. “Our team is fully invested in the complete delivery of this regeneration project and I am pleased that we will be remaining on site to see the work come to completion at the end of Phase 2. Leeds is an important region for our business, we are all frequent users of LBA and we are looking forward to working together with the airport’s team on the successful delivery of the next stage of the project.” This year, the airport is expected to contribute a total of £460 million to the local economy, directly employing 2,100 people and indirectly supporting 4,500 jobs. *data collected from York Aviation analysis. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The foundations for Britain’s newest high-speed railway station have been completed at Old Oak Common in London, marking a significant step forward for the HS2 project. The 850-metre-long underground station base, which will house six platforms for high-speed trains, has been constructed using 76,000 cubic metres of concrete and 17,000 tonnes of reinforced steel. The base slab covers 45,000 square metres – equivalent to more than six football pitches – and reaches nearly two metres thick at its deepest point. Construction began in April 2023 and required 91 separate concrete pours to complete. The station is being built by Balfour Beatty Vinci SYSTRA joint venture (BBVS). At peak construction, the base slab works employed up to 50 steel fixers and 20 joiners, supported by a team of engineers. The completion of the base slab represents an important milestone in creating this major new transport superhub for London and the UK. When complete, the station will be one of the best connected in the UK, with the six underground platforms allowing high-speed services to reach central London in one direction and the West Midlands in the other, with services running further north via the existing railway. Additionally, eight surface-level platforms are being constructed to provide an interchange to the Great Western Railway, Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express. HS2’s Project Client for Old Oak Common, Peter Gow, said: “Completing the base slab of the underground station box is a key milestone in building HS2’s new super hub station in West London. This is the final stage in completing the foundations for the high-speed station, and will be where HS2 tracks are laid, platforms are constructed and the station building and roof and built above. “At Old Oak Common we are making significant progress in building this state of the art, environmentally friendly, transport hub which will be a key part of the HS2 route.” The excavation of the box was completed in the summer of 2024 with sub-contractor Expanded removing 1.3 million tonnes of London clay. To create the base slab, the team installed blinding, layers of shingle for drainage before a matt could be laid on top. Then a 1.85 metre high reinforcement layer was installed– with the team fixing the steel by hand. Finally, concrete was poured to compete the slab, competing the foundations for the high-speed station area of Old Oak Common. London Concrete, part of the Holcim Group, has supplied the concrete used to complete the base slab from a dedicated batching plant on site. Over 90% of the concrete used for the base slab was manufactured on site, reducing lorry movements and CO2 emissions. In addition, low carbon ECOPact concrete has been used, contributing to the drive to reduce carbon used in construction. Measures such as this, as well as the innovative design, have contributed to the station being recognised as BREAAM outstanding, putting it in the top 1% of environmentally friendly buildings in the UK. Steve O’Sullivan, Project Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA, joint venture said: “With the completion of the base slab, we have achieved another significant milestone at Old Oak Common. In less than two years, we have carried out 91 concrete pours of between 600m3 and 1 000m3 each. Logistically, this has been a huge undertaking, requiring detailed planning and collaboration between HS2, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA and our supply chain partners. “This latest step will enable us to progress to the next phase of works, with construction of the high-speed platforms already underway”.   Work is now underway on the six HS2 service platform with wall frameworks being installed ready for concrete pouring. The high-speed platform slabs are currently being manufactured by Explore in Worksop and installation will begin this spring. The team are also working above the base slab to construct the ground floor level of the station before the superstructure can be built, creating the vibrant station environment. Tunnelling work to connect the station to the HS2 network is being done by HS2’s London tunnels contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG JV. In the eastern section of the box, the team are preparing to launch two giant tunnelling machines towards Euston. In the western side of the box, the team will excavate the tunnel using the sprayed concrete lining method. Old Oak Common station in West London is being built on land previously used for railways depots. The site sits between the Elizabeth Line depot and Great Western Mainline which is being realigned so Elizabeth Line, Great Western Mainline and Heathrow Express trains can call at the station providing unrivalled connectivity. As Britain celebrates 200 years of the Great British railways this year, the progress at Old Oak Common is important part of Britain’s railway future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals