A new active travel route from Birmingham to Coventry along the HS2 line is a ‘no brainer’, West Midlands mayor Andy Street has said.
Mr Street and the region's walking and cycling commissioner, Adam Tranter, have written to HS2 Ltd chair Sir Jon Thompson in support of the scheme after a report confirmed that a walking and cycling route enabled by HS2’s infrastructure would be possible.
Local authorities in the region also support proposals for the 24-mile green route, which would improve local and rural connectivity in Solihull and Warwickshire.
Mr Tranter said: ‘When they build new major infrastructure in countries like the Netherlands they always look at how they can improve active travel and the UK should be no different.
‘HS2 is a hugely complex project but with HS2 Ltd and partners working together with local authorities, all pulling in the same direction, we can create something of huge community and strategic benefit.’
