East Midlands

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East Midlands
East Midlands
East Midlands region shown within England
Geography
Status Region
Area
— Total
Ranked 4th
15,627 km²
6,033 sq mi
NUTS 1 UKF
Demographics
Population
— Total
— Density
Ranked 8th
4,172,179 (2001)
267/km²
GDP per capita £17,698 (5th)
Government
HQ Nottingham (GO) & Melton Mowbray (LALB)
Leadership East Midlands Leaders' Board
Regional development EMDA
European parliament East Midlands
Website

The East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and most of Lincolnshire. A looser definition of the East Midlands would include the City of Peterborough (once part of Northamptonshire but now Cambridgeshire) and Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire[citation needed].

Contents

[edit] Geography

The highest point in the region is Kinder Scout, in the Derbyshire Peak District at 2,088 ft (636 m). The geology of the region includes mostly limestone, and has the East Midlands Oil Province. Charnwood Forest has much volcanic rock being around 600 million years old, and is a good source of granite. The centre of the East Midlands area is roughly between Bingham and Bottesford. The geographical centre of England lies in Higham on the Hill in west Leicestershire, very close to the East Midlands / West Midlands boundary.

[edit] Governance

Financial funding decisions for the East Midlands (usually public construction schemes) is taken by the East Midlands Leaders' Board, based in Melton Mowbray. It was not an elected body but is made up of representatives of local government in the region. The East Midlands Development Agency is based next door to the BBC on London Road in Nottingham, and now takes all funding decisions for the East Midlands. Economic development in thr region is led by the East Midlands Development Agency. A Government Office for the East Midlands exists to coordinate functions of Central Government in the region.

[edit] Population and settlement

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Its main settlements are Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Derby, Northampton, Mansfield, Chesterfield and Kettering. Leicester is officially the largest city in the region and the largest conurbation is the Nottingham Urban Area.

[edit] Transport

[edit] Road

The M1 motorway serves all of the county towns with the exception of Lincoln. In the east, the A1 is an important, often overcrowded route for the east-coast ports and is important for supplying much of the UK's agricultural production. The A46 follows a route which, since Roman times, provided a connection between the south west and north east of the region, although around Newark, it has difficulty coping with capacity. Since June 2009,[1] a seventeen mile section is being dualled to make the route effectively dual carriageway between the M1 and A1. It will open in 2012. East-west routes by road in the region are essentially single-carriageway roads (A57, A52 and A47), with only the dual-carriageway A14 skirting the northern part of Northamptonshire. The dual-carriageway A43 connects the East Midlands with southern England.

[edit] Airports

East Midlands Airport (looking west)

East Midlands Airport in North West Leicestershire is situated between the three main cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham.

Smaller airports include Retford Gamston Airport, Nottingham Airport (at Tollerton), Sywell Aerodrome, Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, and Leicester Airport.

[edit] Railway

Two of the north-south mainline railways serve the region, The Midland Main Line (operated by East Midlands Trains) in the west from St Pancras and the East Coast Mainline (operated by East Coast) from King's Cross in the east. Both companies operate high-speed trains to London. The cross-country route eventually merges with the ECML north of Leeds, and the ECML is a more long-distance, and quicker north-south route. It is cheaper, and sometimes quicker, for Nottingham rail passengers to go to London via the ECML. The ECML is now run by the nationalised East Coast, with other smaller companies.

The main south-west to north-east Cross Country Route (MR) (operated by Arriva plc) runs through Birmingham and Derby also the West Coast Mainline goes into Northampton and Long Buckby in Northamptonshire run by London Midland and sometimes Virgin Trains call at Northampton & Chiltern Railways and First Great Western provide services to Kings Sutton in Northamptonshire on the Chiltern Main Line.

East-west routes are provided by the Nottingham - Skegness, Liverpool - Norwich (through Nottingham), and Birmingham - Stansted Airport (through Leicester) routes; these last two routes are the essentially the only east-west routes in the section of England between Sheffield and London, both routes meeting at Peterborough.

[edit] Water

The Trent at the former High Marnham Power Station

The Trent is a navigable river, and is used to transport goods to the Humber, and passes by many power stations.

[edit] Transport policy

As part of the transport planning system the Regional Assembly is under statutory requirement to produce a Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) to provide long term planning for transport in the region. This involves region wide transport schemes such as those carried out by the Highways Agency and Network Rail.[2]

Within the region the local transport authorities carry out transport planning through the use of a Local Transport Plan (LTP) which outlines their strategies, policies and implementation programme.[3] The most recent LTP is that for the period 2006-11. In the East Midlands region the following transport authorities have published their LTP online: Derbyshire,[4] Leicestershire.[5] Lincolnshire,[6] Northamptonshire,[7] Nottinghamshire[8] and Rutland U.A..[9] The unitary authorities of Derby,[10] Leicester[11] and Nottingham[12] have each written a joint LTP in collaboration with their respective local county councils.

Fox hunting is historically linked with the area

[edit] History

A historical basis for such an area exists in the territory of the Corieltauvi tribe. When the Romans took control of the region, they made Leicester its capital, then named Ratae Corieltauvorum. The region also corresponds to the later Five Burghs of the Danelaw, and the eastern half of the Anglian Kingdom of Mercia.

The current government office region was created in 1994. Government funding decisions will move from Melton Mowbray (EMRA) to Nottingham (emda) in April 2010.

[edit] Demographics

Five boroughs of the Danelaw

For teenage pregnancy rates in the region, of top-tier authorities, Nottingham has the highest rate. For council districts, Corby has the highest rate. For top-tier authorities, Rutland has the lowest rate, and the lowest rate for any district in England. The council district with the lowest rate is South Northamptonshire, although it has a rate higher than Rutland.

The region has the second lowest overall population density in England (after South West England) - largely due to Lincolnshire's (and Rutland) low population density. The region has a lower percentage of degree-educated people compared to the England average.[13]

The 'north-south divide' runs throughout the region, roughly following the A46. Areas approximately south of this, and all of Lincolnshire are economically-speaking considered to be in the south of England.

[edit] Local government

The official region consists of the following subdivisions:

Map Ceremonial county Shire county
/unitary
Districts
EnglandEastMidlandsNumbered.png Derbyshire 1. Derbyshire a.) High Peak, b.) Derbyshire Dales, c.) South Derbyshire, d.) Erewash, e.) Amber Valley, f.) North East Derbyshire, g.) Chesterfield, h.) Bolsover
2. Derby U.A.
Nottinghamshire 3. Nottinghamshire a.) Rushcliffe, b.) Broxtowe, c.) Ashfield, d.) Gedling, e.) Newark and Sherwood, f.) Mansfield, g.) Bassetlaw
4. Nottingham U.A.
Lincolnshire (part only)
5. Lincolnshire a.) Lincoln, b.) North Kesteven, c.) South Kesteven, d.) South Holland, e.) Boston, f.) East Lindsey, g.) West Lindsey
Leicestershire 6. Leicestershire a.) Charnwood, b.) Melton, c.) Harborough, d.) Oadby and Wigston, e.) Blaby, f.) Hinckley and Bosworth, g.) North West Leicestershire
7. Leicester U.A.
8. Rutland
9. Northamptonshire a.) South Northamptonshire, b.) Northampton, c.) Daventry, d.) Wellingborough, e.) Kettering, f.) Corby, g.) East Northamptonshire

[edit] MEPs

The East Midlands is also a five-member constituency for the European Parliament.

[edit] Economy

[edit] Manufacturing

The jet engine is built and was developed in the region

In 2003, 23% of economic output in the East Midlands was in manufacturing, compared to 15% in the UK.

Main employers in the region include Weetabix at Burton Latimer. For engineering, there is Rolls-Royce in Sinfin in Derby, Siemens in Lincoln, Triumph Motorcycles and Ultima Sports in Hinckley, Cummins in Daventry, Cosworth in Northampton, Brawn GP in Brackley, JCB in Foston, Derbyshire, Noble in Barwell, Toyota Manufacturing UK on an old airfield at Burnaston, and Caterpillar has a large factory on an old airfield near Desford; the site is also used by Massey Ferguson for their spares division factory. The jet engine was first developed in the region in Lutterworth, with the VTOL engine also developed at Hucknall, and the first practical demonstration of radar was in Daventry in 1935. DeltaRail Group is in Derby and Bombardier UK (former BREL then ABB Adtranz) is Britain's only train manufacturer left, and is in Litchurch. Mountsorrel has the largest granite quarry in Europe, owned by the French company, Lafarge (owned by Redland plc until 1997). BPB plc, the world's largest manufacturer of plasterboard who own British Gypsum, is based in East Leake, Nottinghamshire. Artex Ltd., part of the same company, is in Ruddington.

UK Coal (former RJB Mining) is based in Harworth

FKI who own Brush Electrical Machines is in Loughborough, home to the United Kingdom Energy Technologies Institute and John Taylor & Co, which although entering administration in 2009, is the largest bell foundry in the world. Ferodo is in Chapel-en-le-Frith, who have made brake pads since its founder Herbert Frood invented them in Combs in 1897. Aggregate Industries is based in Bardon. The north part of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire used to have many coal mines, and there are two pits still producing in Nottinghamshire near Market Warsop and Ollerton; UK Coal is based in Harworth. Swarfega was invented and is made by Deb in Belper. Corus Tubes are in Corby. The Alumasc Group is in Burton Latimer. NSK Ltd. has a bearings factory in Newark-on-Trent. The Motor Industry Research Association has an important test track at Higham on the Hill near Hinckley. Heckler & Koch UK is in Lenton. Timsons make printers in Kettering.

[edit] Retail

Dr Martens and many footwear companies are based in the south of the region

Thorntons is a big employer at Alfreton, and Wilkinson is at Worksop. In Lenton, are the head offices of Games Workshop, the producers of Warhammer miniatures and the fashion company Paul Smith. The lingerie companies Gossard, Aristoc, Pretty Polly, and Berlei (formerly owned by Courtaulds) are based in Daybrook. Speedo is in Bobbers Mill on the A610 near Basford. Its LZR Racer suit helped Michael Phelps win eight golds at the 2008 Olympics. It is moving to the ng2 business park on Queens Drive (near Experian) in 2010. Pendragon PLC, the car dealership and the Sherwood Park industrial area is in Annesley. Silver Spoon makes all of its demerara and brown sugar at Newark, although the Tate & Lyle site may be closing. Dunelm Mill, the furnishings company, is based in Syston, as is Pukka Pies. Many footwear companies such as Shoe Zone (which bought out Stead and Simpson), are based in Leicester, as is the clothing company, Next, the photographic equipment company Jessops, and Fox's Confectionery (maker of Fox's Glacier Mints and not named after the locally-significant animal, with all three are based near each other on the Braunstone Frith estate). Also in Leicester are the bookmaker Mark Jarvis, the BSS Group, the European HQ of National Car Rental, Otis UK (lifts), and Admiral Sportswear. Jacobs is on the Meridian Business park in Braunstone.

The crisp company Walkers (owned by PepsiCo and the UK's biggest grocery brand) makes 10 million bags of crisps a day, using 280,000 tonnes of potatoes a year, at the biggest crisp factory in the world at Beaumont Leys; nearby is Taylor Bloxham, the lithographic printers. Brantano Footwear UK, based in Leicester before 2002, is in Ellistown and Battleflat just south of Coalville near M1 junction 22. Hammonds, the furniture company, is in Hinckley. Swizzels Matlow makes children's confectionery in New Mills. Carlsberg has been brewed in Northampton since 1974, and also brews Holsten Pils, and will brew Tetley from 2011. Blacks Leisure Group (owner of Blacks and Millets) is based in Duston, to the west of the town; and there is Travis Perkins who also own Wickes. Avon Products UK is also in Northampton. East Midlands Trains has its head office in Derby. The former East Midlands Electricity is now owned by E.ON UK (supply) and Central Networks East (distribution), since Powergen bought EME in June 1998, which is based in Long Whatton and Diseworth. Nearby at Castle Donington is the home of the (separate) headquarters of BMI (in Donington Hall) and bmibaby.

Oxo is made in Worksop

Cott Beverages UK is in Kegworth. Sports Direct is based in Shirebrook on an old Bolsover coal mine. Sixt, the car rental firm, has its UK base in Chesterfield. Global Brands (maker of Vodka Kick and Corky's) is based in Clay Cross. Greencore UK is in Barlborough. United Biscuits has a main factory in Ashby-de-la-Zouch where it makes its KP Snacks. Oxo and Bisto is made by Premier Foods in Worksop. Cat food such as Whiskas is made in Melton Mowbray by Masterfoods. Alpro UK is in Kettering. Dr. Martens are made in Wellingborough, also home of Booker Group, the Cash & Carry. Topps Tiles are based in Enderby. Whitworths, the food company, is in Irthlingborough. Maclaren, the pushchair maker, is in Long Buckby. There are three main distribution centres in the area at Magna Park in Leicestershire (the largest of its kind in Europe), and Brackmills and the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal in Northamptonshire.

[edit] Healthcare

Boots started in Nottingham in 1849

Boots is based in Lenton in Nottingham, who developed Ibuprofen in the 1960s, as is Vision Express. Crookes Healthcare, formerly Boots and now Reckitt Benckiser, make Strepsils and Optrex on the enormous Boots site. On the ng2 business park, Specsavers have their corporate eyecare and contact lens division. Three out of the four main UK opticians are sited in Nottingham. The MRI scanner was developed at the University of Nottingham, and next door, Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) is the largest teaching hospital in Europe, and the largest hospital in the UK. EMAS is based in Bilborough on the A6002 near junction 26 of the M1. There are three (charity-funded) air ambulance services: the western one is based at EMA, the eastern one is based at RAF Waddington, and the southern one (shared with Warwickshire) is at Coventry Airport. NHS East Midlands is at Sandiacre next to junction 25 of the M1. AstraZeneca have their Charnwood R&D site in Loughborough, which was owned by Fisons before 1995, when it was bought by Astra.

[edit] High technology

Experian HQ in Nottingham

Belkin UK is in Rushden, RS Components in Corby and Pegasus Software is in Kettering. Serif Europe is in West Bridgford. BioCity in Nottingham is an important centre for cutting-edge bioscience companies. AVG Technologies has its UK head office on Newark's industrial estate.

[edit] Finance

Capital One, the Virginia-based credit card company, has its UK HQ in Nottingham's city centre next to the train station, and Dublin-based Experian, one of two UK credit-referencing companies, was founded and has a large UK HQ to the south-west of the city, on the A453 near the River Trent. Alliance & Leicester is based in Narborough. Barclaycard is headquartered in Northampton, and Nationwide has a large administrative centre at Moulton Park. Egg Banking is on Pride Park in Derby.

[edit] Rural

Lincolnshire and Rutland are very agricultural, with much of the UK's arable crops grown in this area. Leicester's Walkers Crisps are made exclusively from potatoes grown in Lincolnshire. The RAF have many bases in this area too, with the main RAF College at Cranwell near Sleaford. Interflora has its UK HQ in Sleaford. Fowler-Welch Coolchain are based in Spalding, as is the UK operation of Bakkavör (former Geest) which is the UK's largest provider of fresh prepared foods. Premier Foods have a large operation in Little Sutton near to Long Sutton. Silver Spoon's Bardney plant makes the market-leading Askey's dessert toppings. John Deere have their UK base at Langar on the Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire boundary next to the former RAF Langar.

[edit] Entertainment

Orangutan at Twycross Zoo

Skegness and the Lincolnshire coast provides seaside entertainment for many people in the East Midlands with its Butlins resort. Nottingham and Leicester are a popular night time destination (often for people outside of the East Midlands). Center Parcs UK is based in New Ollerton. The YHA is based in Matlock. Gala Bingo is based in Nottingham. Twycross Zoo is just south of Measham in Leicestershire, and the National Space Centre is in Belgrave in north Leicester.

Rockingham Motor Speedway is in Corby, and other racetracks include Donington Park and Mallory Park in Leicestershire, and Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire. Silverstone Circuit hosts the British Grand Prix, although the southern half of the track is outside the region. Rutland Water is popular for sailing, fishing and bird-watching. The Peak District is the second most popular national park in the world after Mount Fuji.

[edit] Education

There is a mixture of education across the East Midlands - mostly comprehensive secondary schools, except Lincolnshire has fifteen state grammar schools (as well as some comprehensive schools). For GCSE results, City of Nottingham schools are the worst performing, with Leicester schools a close second. Rutland (the best area for GCSEs) has one of the highest percentages of pupils (Buckinghamshire is the highest) reaching the threshold of five grades A-C (including Maths and English) in England, although the highest performing district council area is Rushcliffe. Lincolnshire performs the best for conventional counties (by some distance); Leicestershire and Derbyshire also have GCSE results above the UK average.

At A level, Nottingham performs the best (due to half of Nottingham's A-level candidates going to the excellent Bilborough College), and with schools in Lincolnshire and Derbyshire, has results above the UK average; Nottingham has much better results at A level than those at GCSE on average. This describes the city quite accurately - it has the largest group of under-achieving school pupils in the East Midlands, but yet has one of the highest achieving groups of school pupils as well, giving a salient socio-economic diversity of almost chasmic proportions. Northamptonshire gets the lowest results at A level.

There are nineteen further education colleges in the region. School children in Rutland, and then Leicestershire are most likley to attend university.

[edit] Top twenty state schools in the East Midlands (2009 A level results)

[edit] Universities

University of Leicester

Main universities in the region include:

The region has one university college - the Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, essentially a teacher training college. The region has the lowest proportion of part-time students in England. The region 'imports' more young people into the region at the university stage than it 'exports' into other regions' universities: it is a net provider for other regions. However once graduated, more graduates leave the region than stay to find work. Graduate work is more likely to be found in other regions.

[edit] Local media

[edit] Television

[edit] Radio

Radio Northampton

[edit] Newspapers

There are several newspapers, the largest of which include:- Derby Telegraph, Derbyshire Times, Leicester Mercury, Lincolnshire Echo, Northampton Chronicle and Echo, and Nottingham Evening Post. The main daily newspapers in the region are all published by Northcliffe Media.

[edit] Magazines

There are many regional lifestyle publications, the largest and most widely read being: Life&Style Magazine, FHP Magazine, Nottinghamshire Life and City Life and County Living.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4403.aspx A46 improvement
  2. ^ "Regional Transport Strategy: the National Picture". Government Office for the East Midlands. http://www.gos.gov.uk/goem/transport/regtransstrategy/?a=42496. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  3. ^ "The LTP Process". Department for Transport. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/theltpprocess. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  4. ^ "Derbyshire 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Derbyshire County Council. http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport_roads/transport_planning/. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  5. ^ "Leicestershire 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Leicestershire County Council. http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/highways/transport_plans_policies/ltp/ltp2_summary.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  6. ^ "Lincolnshire 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Lincolnshire County Council. http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?sectiontype=fileattachment&catid=2225&docid=41750. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  7. ^ "Northamptonshire 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Northamptonshire County Council. http://www3.northamptonshire.gov.uk/Transport/TP/LTP/ltp06-11.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  8. ^ "Nottinghamshire 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Nottinghamshire County Council. http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/traffic_and_travel/strategy-policy/ltp.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  9. ^ "Rutland 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Rutland County Council. http://www.rutland.gov.uk/pp/gold/viewgold.asp?idtype=page&id=9664. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  10. ^ "Derby 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Derby City Council. http://www.derby.gov.uk/TransportStreets/TransportPlanning/DerbyLJTP06-11/DJLTP-06-11.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  11. ^ "Leicester 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Leicester City Council. http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/transport--traffic/transportpolicy/transport-plan/second-local-transport-plan. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  12. ^ "Nottingham 2006-11 Local Transport Plan". Nottingham City Council. http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=848. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  13. ^ http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2007/07_18/outputEM.pdf HEFCE

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