Resources Directorate , Planning & Regeneration Town Hall NG10 1HU Switchboard: 0115 907 2244 E Mail: [email protected]

Please ask for: Richard Green Direct Tel: 0115 9072244 x3152 Our Ref: EBC

Date: 29 April 2014

Dear Sir/Madam,

Aligned Core Strategy Proposed Main Modifications Consultation ( City, Broxtowe and Gedling).

The recently adopted Erewash Core Strategy has been produced in broad alignment with the Aligned Core Strategies of Broxtowe Borough, Gedling Borough and Nottingham City Councils, as the Borough forms part of the Nottingham Core Housing Market Area.

Erewash Borough Council believe that working together to prepare broadly aligned strategic policies with the other Greater Nottingham Councils (also including Rushcliffe Borough Council) has led to effective and more joined up planning outcomes, whilst making best use of resources by sharing staff and expertise, whilst also providing value for money by sharing the cost of producing much of the common evidence base. This partnership working has also enabled the Council’s to fulfil their statutory Duty to Cooperate.

Erewash Borough Council therefore welcomes the opportunity to comment on this consultation and largely supports these proposed modifications. However, Erewash Borough Council would like to point out in relation to Proposed Main Modifications C259a & C264a that it has yet to make a decision on the merits or otherwise of an extension of the tram route into Erewash Borough. Indeed the recently adopted Erewash Core Strategy makes no reference to this matter and it also did not form any part of the Borough Council’s response to the HS2 Ltd Phase 2 line of route consultation (see attachment).

In addition I have also attached the URS Feasibility Study (Extension of ‘NET’ Tram West of Toton – Hub) which in the section ‘Providing Connection from Local Communities’ (page 14) states that this extension of the tram route may not be viable and the potential of a HS2 station at Toton might be better exploited through amendments to local bus services.

*P.T.O. As a result of this, the Borough Council believes that a reference to a proposed extension to the tram route into Erewash Borough should not form part of the specified proposed main modifications.

Kind regards,

Richard Green Planning Policy Officer Erewash Borough Council

Erewash Borough Council Response to HS2 Ltd Phase 2 line of route consultation

Section B – The Eastern Leg (West Midlands to )

Question 4 – The Route and supporting Infrastructure Do you agree or disagree with the Government’s proposed route between West Midlands and Leeds?

Erewash Borough Council agrees with the Government’s proposed route between West Midlands and Leeds subject to: • The provision of a station in accordance with the council’s response to Question 5c. • The re-alignment of the route through Red Hill and into the Long Eaton low level corridor so as to avoid demolition of businesses at Manor House Road etc. • The elevation of the high speed line to cross over the A6005 Nottingham Road, Station Street and Main Street in Long Eaton to maintain connectivity and the construction of a new road underneath the HS2 line at Forbes Hole. • Classic rail services for Toton (freight depot and classic passenger rail station) to be served by the existing two lines on the high level route and that extra lines not be added to that route. • Replacing the embankment west of the in with a viaduct. • Early implementation of landscaping, where possible. • Utilisation of the existing rail corridors for plant and material transport to works in Long Eaton. • Restrictions on night-time and weekend working in Long Eaton. • A temporary level crossing to minimise disruption during removal of the A6005 Nottingham Road Bridge. • Compensation to the council for the loss of council tax and business rate revenue. • Redevelopment of the former Nylatex Works site for the relocation of affected businesses. Please see attached report for more details.

Question 5c – Proposals for Stations Do you agree with the Government’s proposals for an East Midlands station to be located at Toton?

Erewash Borough Council supports the proposals for an East Midlands Station at Toton subject to: • The provision of a southern access road to Long Eaton Green (extension of Midland Street). • Legal provision for Erewash licensed taxis to pick up passengers from the station. Please see attached report for more details.

EREWASH BOROUGH COUNCIL

Consultation response to proposed line of route for High Speed Rail

1Introduction

1.1 The proposed eastern leg of Phase 2 of HS2 passes through Erewash. Emerging from a new tunnel through Red Hill south of the , the line would cross the Trent floodplain and railway on a 15m high viaduct, before descending to follow the corridor of the current low level freight line through Long Eaton to a new East Midlands Hub station at Toton Sidings in Broxtowe Borough. To the north it would re-enter Erewash on another viaduct west of Sandiacre, before passing back into Broxtowe along the M1 corridor.

1.2 Long Eaton will be one of the communities most heavily affected by Phase 2 of HS2, during both the construction and operational phases. Close examination of the line of route maps suggests an incompatibility between the route of HS2 with residential properties at Trent Cottages, commercial properties at Manor House Road and possibly other lineside locations. Lineside properties not demolished will experience visual and noise impacts, including around 70 residential properties at Bonsall Street, New Tythe Street and Meadow Lane next to the high speed line, and around 130 residential properties at Conway Street, Conway Road, Chesterfield Avenue and Recreation Street affected by the widening of the high level line for classic passenger rail services. The precise nature of these impacts are not known, but are likely to include safety and acoustic barriers to shield the 5m high trains and significantly high levels of residual noise. Additional residential properties on Dunstan Close, Cannock Way, Trafalgar Terrace and Trafalgar Square are likely to be affected by noise. The closure of level crossings at Station Street and Main Street and the replacement of the road bridge at Nottingham Road also raise issues of community severance.

1.3 Some houses on Rutland Street in Sandiacre may also be affected by noise. Houses backing on to the Erewash Canal at Lenton Street in Sandiacre and at Stanton Gate will experience visual impacts. Though these properties do not directly abut the railway as do those in Long Eaton, the high speed line is proposed to be on a viaduct from 5-15m high in their vicinity.

1.4 In light of the above, whilst Erewash Borough Council is generally supportive of the proposed route between the West Midlands and Leeds together with a station located at Toton, this is conditional on the development of schemes to maximise the local economic benefits arising from HS2 and measures to mitigate the anticipated negative impacts.

2 Maximising Economic Benefits

2.1 Southern Access Road – the current proposals envisage access to the hub station solely from the north to the A52 and B5010 between Sandiacre and Stapleford, the latter via Bessell Lane. A southern access to Long Eaton and the A6005 is also required to achieve the HS2 aim of integrating with local transport networks and bringing benefits to the local economy. The best current option appears to be an extension of Midland Street along the western side of the high speed line. This would require an extension of the proposed rail freight overbridge to span the new road, and a western access to the hub- station concourse, this being preferable in accessibility terms to a road bridge over the station. In order to avoid overloading junctions at Long Eaton Green it is suggested that only limited long term parking is provided at the terminus of the access road, and that the access route is designed primarily for taxi, bus, cycle and walking connections to Long Eaton. Creating a positive environment for walking and cycling along the dead frontage of this access road will require a high standard of design, e.g. through the use of tree avenues and other landscaping.

2.2 Taxi Licenses – Even with the new access road and a relocation of the station towards Long Eaton, the southern access to the station would lie in Broxtowe Borough in . Under existing licensing legislation, taxis registered in Erewash Borough would be unable to lawfully pick up passengers from that access. To overcome this bureaucratic barrier to access and local economic benefits, the parliamentary bill to build HS2 should also create an exemption to the legislation for this location, or simply transfer the land east of the up to the high speed line to Erewash Borough Council control.

3 Minimising Impacts in Design

3.1 Re-Alignment to reduce commercial demolitions - The current proposed route of HS2 enters the low level route at Trent Junction at an angle, generating an incompatibility between the HS2 line and a number of industrial businesses at Manor House Road. These include businesses that contribute to the Long Eaton cluster of furniture manufacturers that make this town the UK centre of excellence for furniture manufacture. As there are few relocation options within Long Eaton, the relocation of these businesses could permanently harm both their viability and the wider viability of Long Eaton as a manufacturing centre. Such a straightened approach would require the replacement of a sewerage pumping station at Newberry Avenue, but this is considered preferable to the economic harm caused by attempting to relocate a number of successful businesses.

4 Maintaining Connectivity in Long Eaton

4.1 It is acknowledged that level-crossings are not compatible with the operation of a high speed line. Consequently, alternative means of providing crossings at Station Street and Main Street are required. Without either of these crossings some 5,000 residents at Grange Park would be cut off from their town centre at Long Eaton, with consequent negative impacts on both those residents and the economy of the town centre. Restricting connectivity to the Nottingham Road Ward solely to the A6005 Nottingham Road itself would also have negative consequences for the operation and resilience of the local highway network. Raising the Nottingham Road bridge as proposed by HS2 to accommodate the higher trains and overhead electric cable would further discourage pedestrian and cycle use, and exacerbate existing problems with road user conflicts and the efficiency of the adjacent junctions to the east and west at Conway Street and Waverly Street respectively.

4.2 The difficulty in constructing a road bridge over the proposed HS2 line at Nottingham Road becomes an impossibility in respect to Station Street and Main Street, due to the very short approaches available. Underpasses are ruled out for the same reason, further supported by the impracticality of draining such structures in the floodplain. Pedestrian and cycle overbridges could be accommodated, but the access ramps would have to run parallel to the railway line for around 100m in each direction in order to provide the necessary elevation to cross the high speed line at an appropriate gradient. For rail safety reasons an overbridge would have at least 1.8m high solid walls which create blind bends on both access and egress and are not conducive to user confidence. It is hard to see how such an arrangement would encourage access to the town centre from Grange Park. In any case, pedestrian and cycle overbridges cannot provide the highway network resilience required by emergency services, nor an alternative access for industrial traffic serving the businesses on New Tythe Street and Meadow Lane. That traffic would otherwise be routed along National Cycle Route 6, past a primary school, and on to the heavily trafficked A6005 Nottingham Road.

4.3 In the light of the overwhelming need to maintain good connectivity within Long Eaton and the severe physical restraints on the means to achieve this, the option of routing the HS2 line over all three road junctions has to be considered. There are no technical constraints to raising the HS2 line; it is already on a 15m high viaduct over the Trent floodplain and a key technical constraint of the proposals is actually grounding it into the low level rail corridor at an acceptable gradient. These constraints are such that at the Main Street crossing the government’s proposals have the line still 1m above ground level. Maintaining the HS2 line at elevation would both reduce the gradient challenge to HS2 and improve the function of all three affected crossings; Main Street and Station Street by the removal of level crossings and Nottingham Road by the removal of a steep humped bridge.

4.4 Weighed against the connectivity improvements, an elevated HS2 line would have a severe impact on the 70 dwellings backing onto the line along Bonsall Street, New Tythe Street and Meadow Lane. Those properties would be overshadowed by a structure some 10m high only 10m away, with trains running at roof height. However, the impact from a low level HS2 line is also expected to be severe, with a 3m high safety wall dominating the rear outlook of adjacent dwellings and noise levels that would render rear gardens practically unusable. Given these choices, the best option for many of the affected residents may be to receive proper compensation for the impact of HS2, given that no design solution can prevent them from being severely affected. Consequently, elevating the HS2 line to provide connectivity improvements appears, on balance, to be the best option. Further improved access, in particular for local industry, could be achieved by constructing a new access road underneath the HS2 line by Forbes Hole Nature Reserve.

4.5 Classic Rail Access via High Level Route – the current proposals to widen the high level route through Long Eaton to provide classic rail access to Toton (existing freight access to Toton depot and new connecting passenger rail services to the HS2 station at Toton) have the potential to affect more properties than the construction of the high speed line through the low level corridor. That impact is predicated on the need to provide as yet unscheduled connecting rail services to Nottingham and . In the absence of any firm proposals for such services the high level line should be left in its current configuration, which would be adequate for the limited number of connecting services that may be established. Should a more frequent connecting service be proposed then this should be accommodated in accordance with the advice of East Midlands Councils by establishing a new chord north of Toton so that connectivity to Nottingham is achieved by north-south through services.

4.6 Sandiacre Conservation Area – HS2 is proposed to cross the River Erewash and Erewash Canal on a 5 m high viaduct onto a new embankment along the western side of the canal, before rising on another viaduct to re-cross the canal and river around Stanton Gate. The proposed embankment would sever visual connections between Sandiacre Cloudside conservation area and the floodplain, and it is recommended that the embankment is replaced by a viaduct to minimise this impact.

5 Minimising Impacts in Construction

5.1 Early implementation of landscaping – The construction of the high speed line along the low level route through Long Eaton and works to the high level route through Long Eaton for classic rail services will have significant visual impacts on 200 or so residential properties that currently back onto these railway lines. Landscaping will play a major role in reducing the visual impacts of those works, including replacement landscaping for trees lost due to construction works. Where it can be achieved, early planting will provide opportunities for new trees and shrubs to grow and provide an element of screening before the new lines come into use, e.g. at the base of the embankment of the high level line. However, where space is limited and engineering works would interfere with roots, early planting may not be feasible.

5.2 Rail corridor transport of plant and materials – A large quantity of plant and materials will be required to construct the new lines through Long Eaton. Where possible, these should be transported along the existing rail corridors from rail-head depots e.g. at Toton sidings, to prevent excessive traffic impacts on adjacent residential streets.

5.3 Hours of working – Along the new lines through Long Eaton working hours should be restricted to weekday day-times only, e.g. Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm, with no working on public or bank holidays. Though this will extend the overall duration of works here, such restrictions are considered necessary to preserve reasonable living conditions for adjacent residents.

5.4 A6005 Nottingham Road bridge replacement – The closure of this road will have a major negative impact on the function of the Nottingham conurbation traffic system. Providing a diversion e.g. along Station Road will not be viable for any more than a minimal period due to the sensitivity of uses on and users of that road. A temporary level crossing along the northern side of the bridge during its removal is recommended to minimise these impacts.

6 Compensation

6.1 Loss of Council Tax and Business Rates – Government reforms of both Council Tax and Business Rates mean that a reduction in taxable properties will result in a loss of income for the local authority. Those reforms were passed to incentivise local authorities to support new development, so it would be perverse if the impact of government sponsored development resulted in a reduction in the income of the local authority hosting that development. Consequently the parliamentary bill to build HS2 should include provisions to compensate affected local authorities, such as Erewash Borough Council, who would otherwise lose revenue as a result of the demolitions approved by such a bill.

6.2 Facilitating business relocation within Long Eaton – As referred to above, there is a strong desire for local businesses affected by HS2 to relocate within Long Eaton in order to retain the benefits of and to the Long Eaton centre of excellence for furniture manufacture. This could be facilitated by the active promotion of the vacant plot at the site of the former Nylatex works, Fields Farm Road, Long Eaton (grid location 449600, 332650), which is also adjacent the proposed route of HS2. That site could be acquired, if necessary by compulsory purchase, and developed for appropriate business units to meet the needs of the affected businesses. The Borough Council would be happy to assist in such a development, with assistance from the HCA and D2N2 LEP as appropriate.

FEASIBILITY STUDY – EXTENSION OF NET TRAM WEST OF TOTON (EAST MIDLANDS HUB)

January 2014

CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 11 2. INTRODUCTION ...... 11 3. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL MARKETS AND THEIR DEMAND...12 4. DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE TRANSPORT HUB AT TOTON...... 21 5. CONCLUSION ...... 22 6. RECOMMENDATION ...... 23

Rev Date Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by

Draft 23.1.14 Final draft for discussion JC MD JC

1.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Current proposals from HS2 Ltd include a station at Toton, with a provision to extend the NET tram service from Toton Lane to the new station. This study considers the options for extending the NET to the west of HS2 and its station looking at several possible locations for demand. Assuming the new and classic lines are viable, it concludes there are likely to be sufficient transport paths that will be available to users without extending NET beyond a new bridge over the HS2 line to the south of the proposed station. Notwithstanding this, and given the proposed site’s non-traditional, out of city-centre location means there is substantial residential development in close proximity to the proposed station. Sufficient infrastructure should be provided to enable pedestrians, cyclists and other traffic to access the site. An option to adjust the terminus of the proposed extension into Toton station by extending it for a short distance to the south and provide a structure to cross the HS2 line and help access from Long Eaton may provide potential accessibility benefits, and further investigation should be done to establish the details of this requirement. 2.INTRODUCTION

The current HS2 proposals for a station at Toton include provision to extend the proposed NET tram service from the current proposed terminus at Toton Lane, Chilwell as far as the new station at Toton. It is understood that the current plans envisage the tram terminating at concourse level ie above the HS2 and classic rail tracks. The study is required to establish whether there is a case for the tram service being extended west of the proposed station; the contribution this could make to the development of an effective transport interchange at Toton (East Midlands Hub); and an assessment of any changes to the current plans that should be requested by DCC in its response to HS2. Given the limited time available the key requirement is to establish whether there is a case for requesting HS2 Ltd to make provision for an extension of the tram network to the west of the high speed line. The study is required to make a broad brush assessment of the case for extending the NET tram service west of Toton to serve some or all of the following potential markets: •Long Eaton •Sandiacre •Stanton Ironworks development site • •Park and Ride •Other destinations (e.g. Derby)

Nottingham City Council and its partners, Nottinghamshire County Council, Broxtowe Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council commissioned Volterra partners to assess the economic benefits of Toton station and how to maximise those benefits. Some of the points from the report are set out below; •Para 1.31 states ;’ The proximity to the HS2 station at Toton could very well lead to a significant boost it’s economy provided there is direct connectivity to the proposed station. This could come through an extension of the NET 2 tram network or other forms of rapid transit .’’ •Para 9.30 states ‘’ Importantly, the existing rail network is undergoing a number of major initiatives as mentioned earlier in this report, including electrification of the Midland Mainline, the extension of the NET2 tram network and the new railway station at Ilkeston. These projects should be aligned with the HS2 network where possible. In particular the viability of extending the tram network to other parts the region, such as Ilkeston and Long Eaton in Erewash, could be explored.’’

3.AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL MARKETS AND THEIR DEMAND

Overview

The Options for Phase Two of the high speed rail network – demand and appraisal report prepared by MVA in July 2013 identifies the case for a station at Toton to serve the East Midlands.

Within this report it states that:

“The demand analysis showed that an interchange station should be connected to public transport to gain the most benefits. Heavy rail access was tested at Toton assuming the same level of passenger services as at East Midlands Parkway.

It should be noted that providing heavy rail access at Toton does require a significant re-ordering of the existing railway services and further work will be required to select the best option for serving Toton while minimising negative impacts on existing services”.

Figure 1 shows that passengers directly accessing Toton for travel to London would come from an area covering Nottingham and Derby, and extending southwards towards and .

Figure 2 shows the origin of trips at Toton in relation to conventional demand at Derby, Nottingham and Leicester stations.

Figure 1: Access to Toton Station Demand for Toton Scenario (Source: PFM)

Figure 2: Source of 2043 Demand for HS2 with a HS2 Station at Toton (Source: PFM)

Overall it is expected that there would be 16,900 passengers using Toton station each day travelling to all destinations.

Assumed Connectivity to Toton

The choice of Toton was made as a compromise option in between Derby and Nottingham (with a line to Leicester discounted as being too expensive). The demand analysis showed that as long as Toton is served by heavy rail, it would outperform a competing ‘compromise option’ at East Midlands Parkway.

In order to provide connectivity by conventional rail, Toton station will include a new conventional rail station with appropriate walk links to and from the high-speed station. It has been assumed by the promoters of HS2 that conventional rail services in the local area will then be provided to link the station with Derby, Nottingham, Loughborough and Leicester. These connections are shown on Figure 3 and Figure 4.

The Economic Case for HS2 (PFM v4.3: Assumptions report) states that:

“To understand the costs and benefits of the scheme our modelling requires assumptions on a service specification for HS2 and a service specification for released capacity on the classic network.”

Although these assumptions were made for transport modelling purposes only, and not future proposed service specifications, they do show the general thinking relating to connecting Toton to the wider network.

Figure 3 : East Midlands Service Pattern used in PFMv4.3 – Phase Two

Figure 4: East-West Rail Service Pattern used in PFMv4.3 – Phase Two

The above work identifies that heavy rail connectivity to Toton from the major three East Midlands cities of Leicester, Derby and Nottingham has been considered in the assumptions regarding the economic viability of Toton. Indeed, the HS2 website (www. hs2 .org.uk/phase-two/leeds ) states that:

“A new station at Toton, between Nottingham and Derby, would offer excellent links to East Midlands cities and stimulate growth across the region. The station would be readily accessible by public transport from both Derby and Nottingham.

Rail lines could be connected to serve Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and much of the wider East Midlands region. For example, it would be possible for either shuttle or existing services to call at the East Midlands Hub station en route, with a journey time of 12 and 15 minutes from Nottingham and Derby respectively.”

However, there are other settlements in the nearby vicinity of Toton station (and further across Derbyshire) from which demand could be reasonably expected. The remainder of this section considers the potential demand from these settlements, and how this could be served (including via extensions to the NET):

Other Derbyshire Destinations

Long Eaton

The town of Long Eaton, which effectively forms a suburb of Greater Nottingham, has a population of 45,000 people and is noted as being one of two main centres of Erewash District (the other being Ilkeston with a population of 37,550). It already benefits from a railway station which lies on the and the Derby - Nottingham line.

However, the most direct potential to connect the town to the HS2 railway at Toton would be either diversions of existing bus services (Figure 5 shows the route of the Trent Barton SkyLink) and Figure 6 shows the route of the Nutbrook Trail. This latter route is a multi-user greenway route. The majority of Long Eaton lies within the standard 2km walking threshold of Toton station.

HS2 outlined the possibility of providing additional access to Toton station from the south (Long Eaton) side of the station. The existing A6005 bridge over the railway would not provide sufficient clearance for the high speed line and a new bridge would need to be constructed, probably just to the north of the existing bridge. The eastern approach to the bridge would be on a gradient and there may be insufficient room to accommodate a junction to provide a link to the station. It is therefore likely that any access road from the south would need to start from the west side of the high speed line (e.g. from Midland Street). Access to the station could be gained by establishing a secondary access on the west side. This link would be important in providing pedestrian, cycle, taxi and potentially bus access to Toton Station. By providing opportunities for walking and cycling it also has the benefit of offering the potential for more active lifestyles.

Figure 5: Trent Barton SkyLink Route (Brown)

Figure 6: Nutbrook Trail (Yellow)

(A) = Major access point for walkers / cyclists with open slot of 1.2m width

One potential option may be to extend the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) tram service west of the proposed station to connect to Long Eaton (and / or Sandiacre). However, given an existing railway station, there would likely be competition between modes to / from Nottingham city centre. Trains currently run every 20 to 30 minutes from Long Eaton to Nottingham with a journey time of 20 minutes. Such competition may reduce the economic viability of a tram connection at Long Eaton also running into Nottingham in an estimated 25 minutes, even if this also connects at HS2, as Nottingham city centre would likely remain the dominant destination for passengers from Long Eaton. (It should be noted, however, that the tram provides connection to other destinations such as the University and Beeston etc.)

Long Eaton is also expected to accommodate 1,450 new homes under the proposed Local Plan which may also increase demand for transport in the local area.

Sandiacre Sandiacre is a suburb with a population of approximately 9,000 people. It is noted as a local centre in the Erewash Local Plan, the level below that of Ilkeston / Long Eaton.

As shown in Figure 6, it could benefit from a direct route to the proposed Toton Station via the Nutbrook Trail. The majority of the suburb would be within a standard 2km walking distance. The public transport connections could either be made by alterations to local bus services, or via an extension of the NET. If demand estimates were based on the railway trip factors for new railway stations (as outlined in the Ilkeston Station Business Case, and is equivalent to 25 trips per day per 1,000 people) then this could be equivalent to 225 passenger trips per day (the majority of which would head to Nottingham city centre, but could also make use of connection to the University, Beeston and Queen’s Medical Centre).

Stanton Regeneration Site

It is proposed to redevelop the Stanton Ironworks and surrounding area. The site could be the location of 1,950 residential units, and up to 20,000m 2 of B1 (offices) and 50,000m 2 of B2 / B8 (general industrial uses and warehousing).

The Transport Assessment (TA) submitted in support of the site indicates that the site could generate 1,700 two-way external trips in the AM peak (i.e. leaving or entering the site, as opposed to trips contained within the site) and 1,730 two-way external trips in the PM peak. However, it is also anticipated that 92% of these trips would be made by car driver & passenger modes, with only 4-6% made by public transport.

The current public transport strategy envisages the combination of existing Route 14 and the ‘Rainbow’ 4 (Nottingham to Sandiacre branch) service. This will therefore provide a continuous service between Nottingham and Ilkeston via Sandiacre and the Site. The TA states that the services would use high quality buses offering a journey time of approximately 10-12 minutes between the Site and Ilkeston and 45-50 minutes between the site and Nottingham Broadmarsh Bus Station.

Given the above improvements, the TA concludes that such improvements would deliver 72 two-way public transport trips in the AM peak (external to the site) and 93 two-way public trips in the PM peak (external to the site). The majority of these trips would be to Nottingham.

It should also be noted that, in July 2013, Erewash revised in its Local Plan submission, in terms of the proposals to serve Stanton Regeneration site with text in Appendix D that reads that the site would be provided with “at least three busses an hour each way to between Ilkeston and Nottingham via the Stanton Regeneration Site as a sustainable transport alternative to the use of the private car”.

Ilkeston

Ilkeston is currently the subject of a proposal to construct a new railway station similar to the provision at Langley Mill and . A few services run direct from Langley Mill to London, but the majority of services to the capital require connection at Nottingham.

The business case supporting the proposed Ilkeston station identified that 5.7% of total demand would be to / from London. In 2035, this is likely to be 49 passengers per average day (with total demand averaged over the full 365 day year), or 65 passengers per average day (with total demand averaged over a 275 working day year).

Others

Heavy rail connection to / from Derby is already contained in the modelling assumptions supporting the HS2 work. Figure 2 shows that 76% of existing demand to London is expected to transfer to the station at Toton.

The key issue in the above is that the deliverability of the heavy rail connections has not been examined in detail and the modelling assumptions need further work to prove they are viable. It is likely that, to deliver a 76% capture of existing trips from Derby station, there would be a need for a shift to private car modes, at least for the first part of the Derby to London trip. This would have a detrimental impact on Derbyshire’s highway network, particularly the A52.

Another issue is that Derbyshire’s main urban settlements (Chesterfield, Alfreton etc.) have established rail links based on connecting to Nottingham, Derby and city centres. Furthermore, branch lines serving settlements along the Derwent Valley and Burton-on-Trent, route through . Again, this may mean a transfer to private car modes for the first part of the trip towards and London. Discussion on related parking impacts are discussed, below.

4.DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE TRANSPORT HUB AT TOTON

There are a number of issues relating to the development of a station at Toton in terms of creating an effective transport hub. The majority of existing transport hubs can be fitted into the framework identified in the Transport Interchanges toolkit developed by the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). This considered:

National Urban Hubs Located exclusively in city centre, these hubs have multiple modes, serving national (with access to international), sub-regional and local services.

Regional Urban Hubs Located in town or large sub-urban centres, these operate as local hubs distributing passengers to local networks. They have multiple modes, serving mostly regional routes but with limited access to national networks.

Sub regional or local interchanges Limited modes are represented, serving local needs. They provide no connection to regional networks.

Parkway Interchanges These display similar characteristics to Regional Urban Hubs but are found outside main urban areas.

An HS2 station at Toton (not located exclusively in a city centre) would therefore be a combination of a National Urban Hub and a Parkway Interchange. The connectivity assumed in the modelling to date appears to centre on heavy rail assumptions linking the site to the principal urban centres of Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. It is also understood that the NET would be extended across Toton Lane and into the site, providing access to HS2 from just over 30 minutes from Old Market Square, and 62 minutes from Hucknall.

Given the above, without complementary interventions, it may be that those living closest to the station are least able to access high-speed services. Furthermore, some knock-on impacts of opening an HS2 station at Toton may result in unwanted side effects for local residential areas. For instance, national hubs within urban centres normally benefit from the parking controls and provision common to a city centre, which are lacking in an area such as Toton. These issues are explored in further detail below.

Providing connection from local communities

Further extensions of the tram network to Long Eaton or Sandiacre may be justified on the basis of creating connectivity to both HS2 and Nottingham city centre. However, proposals to extend to Long Eaton may not be viable given the existence of a competing rail mode with a frequency of 20 to 30 minutes to Nottingham city centre, and uncompetitive journey times to Nottingham railway station.

Notwithstanding the above, there is potential to serve the HS2 station via amendments to local bus services. As the site lies on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, this would require co-ordination between the two authorities, and discussions with local bus operators. However, the existence of specific services to other national transport hubs, such as , would appear to indicate that bus operators would be responsive to the opening of a station at Toton.

The other clear potential for servicing HS2 from local communities would be to make use of the Nutbrook Trail. The Nutbrook Trail is noted in the Erewash Local Plan as being a key piece of Green Infrastructure which could support future development.

As such, the potential of an HS2 station at Toton would be maximised via:

•Extension of the NET across Toton Lane and into the site; •Provision of walking / cycling connectivity to / from the Nutbrook Trail; •Provision of adequate cycling parking and potential cycle hub facilities; •Design of station in accordance with the Cycle Rail Toolkit (Association of Train Operating Companies, July 2012); •Provision of bus priority at entries / exits and within the station forecourt. •Feasibility studies relating to extending the tram to Long Eaton and Sandiacre. •Upgrading of heavy rail links to existing city stations to co-incide with HS2 opening.

Protecting local residential areas

Providing good walking / cycling routes from Long Eaton and Sandiacre may unfortunately put (especially the former) at risk of commuter parking starting to occur in residential areas surrounding the station. As such, the development of the station near Toton may require a review of residential parking arrangements to ensure this does not happen, or parking pressures could be dealt with appropriately if it does start to occur.

Similarly, the operator of the Park and Ride at Toton Lane would have to make a decision as to how to manage parking at its site, given that their 1,400 spaces under construction may be more attractively priced than any new parking provision at the HS2 station which would be only be a short tram stop or walk away.

Wider Land-use Changes

The provision of a station providing fast, regular train services to London (Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham) may also promote both residential and employment development in the Long Eaton and Sandiacre areas. This would need to be considered in revised Local Plan policy guidance. It would also be sensible to promote an Area Travel Plan Framework to seek to manage trips in the local area if any such major developments do start being promoted alongside the HS2 proposals.

5.CONCLUSION

Assuming the new and classic lines are viable, it is currently difficult to justify a large extension of the NET network to serve HS2 at Toton. Notwithstanding this, and given the proposed sites non-traditional, out of city-centre location means there is substantial residential development in close proximity to the proposed station, sufficient infrastructure should be provided to enable pedestrians, cyclists and other traffic to access the site. An option to adjust the terminus of the proposed extension into Toton station by extending it for a short distance to the south and provide a structure to cross the HS2 line and help access from Long Eaton may provide potential accessibility benefits, and further investigation should be done to establish the details of this requirement.

6.RECOMMENDATION

Derbyshire County Council should request that HS2 Ltd extend the proposed tram extension further south to enable access from the south /west side of the new Toton station. This should include a structure capable of carrying a tram over HS2 and heavy rail lines in combination with pedestrian/cycle access.