Midlands Rail Hub proposal promises to transform east-west rail connections
Subnational transport body Midlands Connect has submitted to government proposals that would transform east-west rail connections in the Midlands with faster and more frequent train services throughout the region.
The Midlands Rail Hub plan outlines up to £1.5 billion of new and improved infrastructure to be completed between 2025-2030.
The improvements would enable over a hundred additional trains on the network every day between locations including Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Nuneaton, Worcester, Hereford, Great Malvern, Bristol, Gloucester, Cardiff, Cheltenham & Leicester.
In addition to cutting journey times across the Midlands and opening up routes to the South West, the proposals will improve regional access to high-speed services at the planned HS2 Birmingham Curzon Street station.
Core to the plan is building two new chords – relatively short sections of new line connecting two other lines – as well as 11 further engineering interventions throughout the region to deliver a massive step change in rail transport in the Midlands.
The biggest engineering proposals are between Bordesley and Moor Street, called the West Chord, allowing access to Birmingham Moor Street from South-West and Wales, and making sure services are improved on the Hereford and Worcester corridors. The project’s second chord is called the East Chord which creates access to Birmingham Moor Street from the East Midlands.
Midlands Connect developed the plans in partnership with Network Rail and has the backing of a range of organisations including the West Midlands Combined Authority, West Midlands Rail Executive, local authorities, LEPs, chambers of commerce, HS2 and East Midlands Airport.
Sir John Peace, Chairman of Midlands Connect said, "This is a truly momentous occasion for us, we are proud to unveil this detailed plan for infrastructure changes which will transform our region.
"We know the project has the backing of the businesses, communities and political leaders in the Midlands, and we stand ready to kickstart its delivery and get spades in the ground.
"The Midlands Rail Hub will significantly impact the future of travel for generations to come."
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Rail Executive added, “Midlands Rail Hub is a game changing scheme for our region. The benefits it can bring to local people and businesses are many – whether it’s connecting millions more people to the HS2 network; creating space for more local journeys, stations, and rail lines; or opening faster and more frequent rail links for commuters as well as business and leisure travellers.
“And crucially, Midlands Rail Hub provides the additional rail network capacity that will be required to support further expansion of the regional rail network.
“When the West Midlands succeeds, the country succeeds, and the sooner Government enables us to start delivering this project the sooner our local residents will experience the plethora of benefits to come.”
Sir Peter Soulsby Chair of Transport for the East Midlands & City Mayor of Leicester said, “Leicester is a thriving and rapidly growing city, but we need better connectivity by rail to realise the city’s economic potential.
“The Midlands Rail Hub will double the rail service between Leicester and Birmingham and ensure the city is connected to both New Street and Moor Steet stations. This will provide onward connectivity to Wales and the South West, as well as easy access to HS2 services at Curzon Street.”