“Game-changing” Midlands Rail Hub plans submitted
PLANS have been submitted to the Government for the £1.5 billion Midlands Rail Hub, which would entail up to 100 extra trains every day as a result of new and improved infrastructure across the Midlands.
The Midlands Rail Hub (MRH) has been put together by Midlands Connect, the sub-national transport body which covers the whole of the Midlands.
It promises faster and more frequent train services for up to 43 communities, towns and cities throughout the region. The programme also promises improved access to high-speed services at HS2’s Curzon Street station in Birmingham.
“This is a truly momentous occasion for us. We are proud to unveil this detailed plan for infrastructure changes which will transform our region,” said Midlands Connect Chairman Sir John Peace.
“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 outline business case, titled Going for Growth, proposes to build two chords as well as 11 further engineering interventions throughout the region, to deliver what’s been described as “a step change” in rail transport in the Midlands.
The biggest scheme is planned for between Bordesley and Birmingham Moor Street, where a new West Chord will allow access to Moor Street for services from the South West and Wales. The Chord would also improve services on the Hereford and Worcester corridors. A further Eastern Chord would improve access from the East Midlands.
Other plans for engineering upgrades include the reopening of Platform 4 at Birmingham’s Snow Hill station and Platform 5 at Moor Street. There are improvements around Kings Norton and Barnt Green, the Stoke Works junction, a Malvern Wells turnback facility, and Ledbury to Shelwick partial double-tracking.
Further plans entail remodelled work in the Water Orton area, and greater signalling headways for services between Nuneaton and Wigston. The plans also envisage freight loops between Nuneaton and Leicester.
If funded by the Government, the MRH would also unlock a series of pan-regional benefits for the Midlands - including an additional train per hour between Birmingham and Bristol, and between Birmingham and Cardiff via Gloucester (stopping at Worcestershire Parkway).
There could also be an additional train per hour between Birmingham and Hereford via Worcester, and a further additional fast train per hour between Leicester and Birmingham, stopping at Nuneaton.
The plan also proposes an increased frequency of trains on Birmingham’s Cross City line plus new passenger services on the city’s Camp Hill Line, where new stations are being built.
“West Midlands Rail Hub is a game-changing scheme for our region,” said West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who also chairs the West Midlands Rail Executive.
“The benefits it can bring to local people and businesses are many. As we bounce back from COVID, Midlands Rail Hub will support our recovery by unlocking the bottleneck at Birmingham New Street station to improve local services, while also better connecting the East and West Midlands.”
The submission of the MRH outline business case follows last year’s publication of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), which suggested an alternative route for the HS2 eastern leg. As a result, plans to boost rail services from Nottingham and Derby as part of the hub programme have been shelved.
The IRP also made no mention of the East Chord, although Midlands Connect has argued strongly that it should stay in the programme.
MC Head of Rail Karen Happenstall said: “We have been able to demonstrate that the business case for the eastern part of Midlands Rail Hub is just as strong as for the south-western part. We will continue to build to case for the East Chord.”
The MRH programme has the support of businesses across the region. A survey conducted by Midlands Connect showed that while staff at the majority of local businesses travelled to work by car, if the line between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham was reconnected, employees would use it more.
Businesses thought the proposed improvements would benefit their operations, too, with 82% of companies saying it would make it easier to recruit, 73% expecting it would allow them to meet new customers, and 61% believing it would help their business to grow.
Of the businesses surveyed, 95% said reconnecting the line and improving local train services would support the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.