Railway wants to re-route several roads to make way for new line

A West Midlands council has told HS2 it will only approve plans to re-route several roads in the area to make way for the £56bn railway once it has come up with an adequate safety and traffic management plan.

Solihull council said it would "approve in principle" a number of road changes if HS2 meets several stipulations within 28 days, according to papers published ahead of this Thursday’s meeting of the council’s cabinet. It said it would reject the plan if HS2 fails to do so.

The papers recommend the council approve in principle the application to re-route stretches of three roads in the region, including the A452 Chester Road.

It said HS2 needed to complete any outstanding safety certification of the proposals and agree to produce a construction phasing and traffic management plan approved by the council prior to starting onsite in ordr to minimise the impact on the airport, National Exhibition Centre and other businesses.

Earlier this year, the council and HS2 clashed after the railway told it and local businesses they would have to fork out £100m to build multi-storey car parks around the line’s Interchange station at Solihull instead of occupying 22 acres for surface parking.

The council said the land could be used for new homes instead.

solihull hs2 car

How the proposed Interchange station, designed by Arup, will look

 

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