Work has officially started on a new lighting scheme designed to create brighter streets in Digbeth – close to HS2’s flagship Birmingham Curzon Street Station.
The Birmingham City Council project – funded in part through a £210,140 investment from HS2’s Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) – will see the installation of 75 new LED, high performance lighting columns along two walking routes through Digbeth.
With additional match funding provided by the council via its Highways Private Finance Initiative (PFI), the lighting is aimed at improving accessibility for people walking through the area and supporting the local night-time economy.
Each eight-metre tapered column has a coloured finial – an illuminated spike at the top – projecting above the LED street lights to indicate the two routes. A yellow route will direct pedestrians from Allison Street, near Moor Street Station, towards the Custard Factory. A second pink route will lead from Allison Street towards Fazeley Street, River Street and Digbeth’s bars and restaurants.
Due for completion by spring 2025, the illuminated routes will be located near to HS2’s flagship station in the West Midlands, which is currently under construction. Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station will be at the heart of the country’s new high-speed railway network, providing seven high-speed rail platforms, a new public space, and integration with the city’s tram network.
The Digbeth lighting project is one of over 300 initiatives to be granted funding from HS2’s Community & Environment (CEF) and Business & Local Economy Fund (BLEF).
To date, HS2 Ltd has awarded over £17 million to 312 community projects since the funds were launched in 2017 – with projects in the West Midlands, including Greater Birmingham, Warwickshire and Staffordshire receiving just over £3.5 million.
Cllr. Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for transport and environment at Birmingham City Council, said:
“This is a fantastic project, with the Digbeth business community that has been impacted by the HS2 construction works closely involved in its development. It supports the wider investment that Birmingham is making in the area and demonstrates the importance of the vibrant night-time economy in Digbeth.”
HS2’s community and business funds are administered by independent community charity Groundwork. A total of £40 million in funding is available to community groups and organisations for public benefit and business partnerships impacted by the construction of HS2 between London and Birmingham.
Cathy Elliott, Independent Chair of the HS2 Fund, said:
“The funding programme is delighted to support such a worthwhile project for local businesses. Digbeth’s lighting project will bring a variety of benefits for local people and the area’s night-time economy. I’m glad that we can support the continued development and success of local businesses.
“Over the years I have visited many projects funded through HS2’s CEF & BLEF schemes, and the one thing these projects all have in common is that their positive impact they have on the local community is positively felt by the people I speak to.
“We still have a lot of work ahead, with just over half of the funding pot still unallocated. I would encourage any organisation delivering projects in communities that are impacted by the construction of HS2 to look into the HS2 funds, get in contact, and see if we can help you achieve your goals.”
Nearly 31,000 people are helping to build HS2, of which 9,626 are employed in the West Midlands. Construction work at HS2’s Curzon Street Station in central Birmingham continues at pace, with a team of 80 people having started on the 2,000 underground foundation columns that will support the flagship station.
When complete, HS2 will improve connections between London and the West Midlands, with trains running further north on existing lines. This new high-speed railway will create quicker and far more reliable journeys, driving economic growth while crucially freeing up space for more local trains on the most congested part of the existing West Coast Main Line.
For more information on HS2’s funding schemes, including how to apply, visit: https://hs2funds.org.uk
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