Coventry City are backing plans to boost transport links for Sky Blues fans. The club have written to the Transport Secretary and the Culture Secretary in support of a rail link that would connect Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham – potentially making match-day travel far better for supporters.
Interviews with Coventry City, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest fans have revealed an appetite for improved rail connections in the Midlands, and the Sky Blues have gone as far as publicly commenting on the proposals.
John Taylor, Coventry City’s chief operating officer, said: “For Coventry City and other football clubs, transporting fans efficiently and sustainably is incredibly important.
“This project will help increase attendances and create an easier journey for people using the Coventry Building Society Arena for non-sporting events. Connecting the three major cities is massively beneficial for sports clubs like Coventry City, and other local businesses.”
The project is primarily designed to help boost economic growth in the Midlands, but fans of clubs in the region would undoubtedly benefit too.
The letter signed by the sports clubs says improved rail connections between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham would help reduce emissions from match-going fans by offering them a reliable alternative to the car. They claim the link would also increase home and away attendances, providing a boost to the local economy.
The proposed rail link is planned by Midlands Connect, a body representing local authorities, the Government and transport bodies. If given the green light, it would reinstate direct rail services between the three cities for the first time in two decades.
Andy Clark, head of rail at Midlands Connect said: “Currently only 3% of journeys on the Coventry-Leicester-Nottingham corridor are made by train, compared to 30% between better connected cities such as Coventry and Birmingham.
“We plan to have a direct, half hourly service with a journey time of 40 minutes from Coventry to Leicester and 70 minutes from Coventry to Nottingham, which would improve the journey for thousands of sports fans and other customers travelling between the three cities”.
