Midlands Connect releases revised rail plans

MIDLANDS Connect, the Subnational Transport Body for the Midlands which plans the strategic connectivity needs of people, has released an updated version of its master plan covering the next five to 10 years. In it are a number of proposals for new rail services and capacity enhancements across the East and West Midlands.

Midlands Connect (MC) works with local authorities, executive transport bodies and the Department for Transport to identify and prioritise transport needs for the area, working partner organisations to achieve the aims.

MC recognises rail connectivity to anywhere other than London is poor and wants to level up the region as well as driving growth and providing low carbon options.

Proposals for modal shift with a two-trains per hour service from Leicester to Coventry

(along with freight benefits) has already been reported by The RM, however, MC has several further aspirations. These include:

■ Up to 10 additional paths into Birmingham, enabling HS2 connectivity, more and faster journey opportunities from across the Midlands, alongside freight benefits.

■ Improved services between Oxford, Coventry, Birmingham Airport and Birmingham (currently one train per hour).

■ Improvements in journey times along the Shrewsbury corridor, plus a long-term aim of hourly services to London.

■ Improvements in journey times between Nottingham and Lincoln.

■ Service improvements along the North Staffordshire corridor (Derby-Stoke-Crewe) with the aim of promoting and encouraging a modal shift for users of the A50/A500 roads.

■ Connectivity packages for

East Midlands Parkway (for HS2 services) and a possible new local station at Toton.

■ Creation of platform 4 at Birmingham Snow Hill.

Some of these aspirations will be dependent on HS2, others are independent of HS2 construction schedules.

As well as pushing ahead with the reopening of the Camp

Hill line, south of Birmingham with new stations at Hazelwell, Kings Heath and Moseley, and also between Walsall and Wolverhampton with stations at Darlaston and Willenhall, at a recent transport summit in Coventry Midlands Connect stated an aim to open a further 15 stations across the wider West Midlands area. While not all locations have been made public, proposed stations are being considered at Foleshill (NuneatonCoventry line), Binley (CoventryRugby), Alrewas (for the National Memorial Arboretum), Rugby Parkway on the Northampton loop (serving the new Houlton development and Dirft freight terminal) and Warwick University on the Coventry-Leamington line.