Two visions to attract fast line trains to Nottingham

Officials in Nottinghamshire have differed over how they propose to bring a high speed rail link to the area.

On Thursday the government unveiled plans for a line to take 250mph trains from London to Birmingham, with a possible East Midlands extension.

But while the city council wants the line to come into central Nottingham, the county council said it favours a new out of town facility.

Detailed plans are not due to be finalised until 2011 at the earliest.

'Economic benefits'

The new line could cut journeys from the region to London to under an hour, but it would cost billions of pounds and not start until after the Birmingham link - which itself has an earliest start date of 2017.

Officials in Nottinghamshire have said they are intent on working with developer HS2 to make sure services would come to the county, but currently have separate visions of how to do it.

The county councillor responsible for transport, Richard Jackson, said: "I think the current train station could take some electrification, but for the high speed rail it would need to be another station altogether.

"What we would like to see is something similar to what has been suggested for Birmingham, which is a parkway type station on the outside of the city."

But Jane Urquhart, city councillor with responsibility for transport, said: "We are very keen, however, to start detailed work with government and HS2 to prove that Nottingham deserves a world class city centre high-speed rail interchange which will act as a sound, sustainable, and value for money investment.

"City centre stations provide around twice the economic benefits of out of town parkway facilities, and Nottingham is the largest destination on the existing Midland Mainline."