First look at how Witton Railway Station next to Villa Park will look ahead of Euro 2028

Design plans of what the revamped Witton Station will look like ahead of Euro 2028 have been unveiled.

Plans are now well underway to upgrade the Birmingham train station that is just a five minute walk from Villa Park. The designs have come from a feasibility study which has confirmed that a revamp of Witton Station is advised as Villa Park prepares to host Euro 2028 fixtures.

Around 7,700 fans travel to matches by train using both Witton and Aston stations. With this study giving the initial green light, rail bosses will now press ahead with the business case as plans for the station gather pace.

The proposed improvements to the station include new passenger ramps to both platforms to increase queuing capacity after matches, a new pedestrian and cyclist subway under the line at Station Road, wider and deeper platforms to allow more people to queue for longer trains, and replacing platform shelters with open canopies.

The millions of pounds needed to redevelop Witton station, which first opened in 1876, will come via the Government-funded West Midlands Combined Authority who’ll seek support from the Department for Transport.

 The next step is for WMRE and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) to work with Aston Villa, Birmingham City Council, Network Rail, UEFA, and West Midlands Trains to build a strong business case.

Previously, despite the station’s poor state, a case for redevelopment has never been viable. Now, with more supporters travelling to Villa Park by rail than ever before and the stadium set to be a host venue for the Euro 2028 tournament, a more compelling case for investment can be made. It would also future proof the station should Aston Villa revisit their stadium expansion plans.

What's been said about the plans?

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMRE, said: “Everyone who has ever tried to travel to Villa Park via the railway on a matchday knows just how unfit for purpose Witton Station is. With its narrow platforms combined with frequent overcrowding, it really does make for a miserable experience.

"This has been the case for some time, but a business case for redevelopment has never stacked up. But now - with the Euros just a few years away - we have the catalyst we need to make this long-awaited redevelopment happen. That's why today we're able to confirm that, following the feasibility study, we are now a significant step closer to redeveloping Witton Station."