New train plans for East and West Midlands, including more routes travelling to Birmingham Moor Street

Proposals to increase faster and more frequent trains across the Midlands have been sent to the government as part of a massive package of rail travel improvements.

Up to 43 different communities, towns, and cities would benefit from reduced journey times, increased number of rail journeys by passengers, and bring the East and West Midlands economies together.

The plan, entitled ‘Going for Growth’ by Midlands Connect, proposes to bring South West Trains and Welsh Trains into Birmingham Moor Street, thereby increasing capacity at Birmingham New Street.

Quicker rail journey times have also been cited, with improvements between Birmingham and Worcester by up to five minutes, Cardiff by six minutes and up to 13 minutes to Hereford.

Other significant investments to rail journeys include a ‘Bordesley West Chord’ creating new journeys from Moor Street to Bristol Temple Meads and Moor Street to Leicester.

In 2020, both Midlands Connect and Network Rail secured £20 million for the business case. The project was also listed as a transport priority in the 2019 Conservative party manifesto and in Government’s Integrated Rail Plan, published in November 2021.

If the plans are funded by the government, Midlands Connect argues, it will deliver a series of major benefits for passengers, commuters and businesses.

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 kick-start 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, said: “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.

“The Midlands Rail Hub will also enable a raft of local improvements including restoration of the full six train per hour service on Birmingham’s Cross City Line, faster journeys into Birmingham from the new Camp Hill line stations at Moseley Village, Kings Heath, and Pineapple Road.

“And crucially, Midlands Rail Hub provides the additional rail network capacity that will be required to support further expansion of the regional rail network including new stations and new services on routes such as the Sutton Park Line.

“As we bounce back from Covid, Midlands Rail Hub will support our recovery by unlocking the bottleneck at Birmingham New Street to improve local services, whilst also better connecting the East and West Midlands. All of this helps open access to opportunities right across the Midlands and supports thousands of jobs during a critical period for our region.

“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.”

Peter Soulsby, chair of transport for the East Midlands and city mayor of Leicester, added: “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.

“We expect that that HS2 East will transform connectivity between Birmingham, Derby and Nottingham by the 2040s. In the meantime, the Midlands Rail Hub will preserve onward connectivity for existing services from Birmingham New Street to the West Midlands, Wales and the West Country.”