Major disruption after 'police incident' at Birmingham New Street railway station blocks all lines

Thousands of rail passengers are stuck on trains and at stations in the West Midlands.

Services at Birmingham New Street Station were shut down this morning (April 24) due a police incident. The disruption was caused by an incident involving ‘trespasser’ on the railway.

The giant Birmingham city centre hub has come to a halt, with all lines blocked. No services are currently running in or out of the station.

Passengers have been warned that there is likely to be continued significant disruption as the timetables are reformed.

Passengers traveling to and from Birmingham may experience delays of up to 30 minutes or revised schedules.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers were called to the scene following reports of a person in a ‘precarious position.’ It has since been confirmed that the man has been taken to a place of safety.

A BTP spokeswoman said: "Officers were called to Birmingham New Street railway station just after 7.15am today to reports of a person in a precarious position.

"Officers attended, alongside paramedics. A man has now been taken to a place of safety."

Which Train services and routes are affected?

Avanti West Coast: Services between Edinburgh, Manchester Piccadilly, Lancaster, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, and London Euston, as well as between Crewe and Birmingham New Street.

Avanti West Coast said on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this morning: "Due to trespassers on the railway at Birmingham New Street all lines are blocked.

"Trains running through this station may be cancelled or delayed."

CrossCountry: Routes between York, Leeds, Plymouth, Manchester Piccadilly, Bournemouth, Paignton, Nottingham, Leicester, Edinburgh, Stansted Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, and Bristol Temple Meads.

London Northwestern Railway: Services between Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, and London Euston.

Transport for Wales: Routes connecting Holyhead, Chester, Aberystwyth, and Birmingham International.

West Midlands Railway: Trains operating between Rugeley Trent Valley, Birmingham International, Great Malvern, Birmingham New Street, Lichfield Trent Valley, Bromsgrove, Four Oaks, and Redditch.

Transport for West Midlands said rail tickets were being accepted on National Express West Midlands buses.

It posted on X: "Due to an ongoing emergency services incident at Birmingham New Street, all lines are currently blocked.Cross-ticket acceptance is with @nxwestmidlands buses.”

National Express West Midlands warned that bus services may be busier than usual.

What should I do if I need to get on the train?

Passengers traveling on Avanti West Coast services can use their tickets on Chiltern Railways via any reasonable route.

Check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries, real-time Journey Planner.

If you experience delays, keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey for potential compensation claims.