TOTON is NOT ON

In my blog item “Toton – an HS2 folly”, posted on 11 December last year, I outlined the argument as to why Toton is inappropriate as the location for the East Midlands hub of the proposed extended High Speed 2 rail line, and why a location further south is preferable. The “business case” argument ignores the “practical considerations for the travelling public” argument, and is incompatible with it.

In the April edition of “Modern Railways” this year the impression was given that Toton is pretty much a foregone conclusion. If that is so, it is a shame. Toton is in the wrong place. With plenty to occupy the minds of our politicians, among them the desire to be elected on 8th June, rail proposals are not likely to be their chief concerns at present, but it is they who, ultimately, will decide the fate of HS2, and be responsible for the consequences. So here, I will restate why Toton is not a sensible location for the East Midlands hub.

Toton hub, with dotted lines showing connecting transport to Derby and Nottingham

The crucial drawback to Toton is the unavoidable truth of geography – it is simply in the wrong place, i.e. north of the point (Trent junction) at which the routes to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield diverge. Attempts to pretend that this isn’t a problem are ridiculous. One of the ‘Modern Railways’ articles includes a table of journey times (presumably by tram) from Nottingham station, citing Toton as 33 minutes away and Derby 61 minutes  – as though this is some wonderful advance. It isn’t; it’s retrograde and crazy and very slow.

Someone travelling to Nottingham from London on HS2, having shaved several minutes off traditional journey times to the latitude of the East Midlands, will arrive at Toton, have to transfer (perhaps with luggage and small children) to a tram, and then have to endure more than 15 intermediate stops to reach central Nottingham. Or change onto a conventional train, back in the reverse direction, round via Attenborough. Similarly to Derby, either having to backtrack on a conventional train to Trent junction and through Long Eaton, or via an as yet unplanned but almost certainly tortuous tram route. Why would anyone want to do that? Where is the advantage?

I don’t have a problem with regenerating Toton or with extending tram routes anywhere that can be justified, but for HS2 not to be negative progress – and perceived as such - there must be through trains from its London terminus to Nottingham and Derby, convenient and comfortable end to end, with significantly shorter overall journey times city to city than are available today, or will be possible following Midland Main Line electrification. No change of vehicle at Toton or anywhere else, just a brief stop at East Midlands Parkway for those who want to leave or join there. Otherwise, why bother?

East Midlands Parkway hub, with through HS2 trains to Derby and Nottingham

East Midlands Parkway, or a site close to it, is the preferred alternative, for reasons of connectivity and access, proximity to East Midlands Airport, and most of all because it is on the “London side” of the Nottingham-Derby conurbation. 

Toton, locationally, geographically, is a nonsense. Forget the “business case” – Toton is simply wrong.  It’s in the wrong place. TOTON is NOT ON.

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