High-profile football clubs across the Midlands are very much in favour of plans for the reinstatement of train services across the Midlands for the first time in 20 years.

As football clubs look for ways to become more environmentally sustainable, both Nottingham Forest and Coventry City football clubs have written to the Transport Secretary and the Culture Secretary to support the proposed Midlands Connect rail link that would connect Coventry, Leicester, and Nottingham.

In a letter signed by both sports clubs, it outlines the benefits of an improved rail service between these three cities.

It emphasizes that it would reduce emissions from fans by providing supporters with a reliable alternative to cars.

It will also enable a greater number of fans from all teams to travel to both home and away fixtures whenever these sides meet in local derbies, in the league or cup competitions.

This will not only increase attendance at these high-profile games, but it will also boost the local economies of all three cities, as more people would travel to and from the matches enabling them to spend money in local establishments before a match or after the full-time whistle.

Fans from Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Coventry City football clubs have all expressed how improved rail connections can speed up their current journey times when travelling to and from matches for both home and away fixtures between these teams.

It is not just football fans that would benefit from improved rail connections across the midlands, those who organise other sporting events and concerts/gigs in one city, would also expect to see improved attendance and higher turnover at these events thanks to fans heading to the venues using a greener, reliable alternative transport option.

Working alongside 22 local authorities, the Midlands Connect project researches develops, and advocates for long-term transport projects to provide the maximum economic, social, and environmental benefits for the Midlands and the rest of the UK.

“For Coventry City and other football clubs, transporting fans efficiently and sustainably is incredibly important.

This project will help increase attendance 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.”

John Taylor, Chief Operating Officer at Coventry City FC

“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”.

Andy Clark, Head of Rail at Midlands Connect