HS2 has unveiled plans to build a new automated people mover (APM) running between Birmingham Airport and HS2’s new Interchange Station in Solihull.
When fully operational, the people mover will be able to carry up to 2,100 people per hour, taking six minutes to travel the 2.3km route.
It will run along a viaduct which will be 12 metres off the ground at its highest point, and the three stops will be fully accessible.
The APM stop at HS2’s Interchange station
The exact vehicular system to operate the APM is still to be decided and will be maintained in a dedicated maintenance facility which will be located along the viaduct on the eastern side of the M42 crossing.
Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 said: “The high speed connection into Interchange Station opens up the UK Central Hub, the NEC, Birmingham International station and Birmingham Airport to new business and leisure customers who might not have chosen this area previously. With the airport being only six minutes from the station, it means better options for air travellers, and makes it more accessible to even more of the UK.”
How the APM maintenance facility would look
Jonathan Bretherton, managing director of the Urban Growth Company, which was set up by Solihull Council in 2016 as a wholly-owned subsidiary to deliver its 20-year vision for infrastructure investment and development, said: “The APM will be a vital and exciting link, connecting HS2 and the Arden Cross site to the NEC and Birmingham Airport, making the whole area easily navigable for those choosing to live, work or play here. Our work to coordinate the views of local stakeholders will continue to ensure that the final APM design fully supports the economic growth we are predicting here.
Ove Arup is responsible for the design of Interchange station, which is subject to approval from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council under Schedule 17 of the High Speed Rail Act.
