Work on the Midlands Rail Hub is set to begin after ministers provided an initial GBP 123 million (EUR 144 million) funding injection that will enable the design work to begin on creating space for extra services. This includes preparing detailed designs for the infrastructure improvements required, finalising operating plans for the new services, while continuing to move the rest of the programme forward.
GBP 1.75 billion (EUR 2 billion) is the value of the project, an investment of the government’s Network North transport plan. The project will deliver people more frequent rail services from central Birmingham and upgraded stations across the Midlands.
“The announcement is part of the government’s plan to invest in transport projects with reallocated HS2 funding, helping to grow the economy and better connect communities across the Midlands. Midlands Rail Hub will bring huge benefits to passengers in the region and beyond, so it’s great to be in Birmingham with Mayor Andy Street to kick start this important project,” the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said.
More than 50 stations, covering 7 million people across the region, will benefit from the plans, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding. The first phase of the Midlands Rail Hub will mean an additional train every hour in both directions between central Birmingham and locations including Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham and Worcester.
More London to Birmingham services will be extended from Moor Street to Snow Hill station meaning the Chiltern line will also serve Birmingham’s Snow Hill business district. When delivered in full, the hub will see services on most routes increase by between 50% and 100%. Birmingham’s Cross-City line will be given a ‘turn-up-and-go’ service with a train every 10 minutes.
“This announcement marks a major milestone in this transformational, nationally significant project. The Midlands Rail Hub programme is the result of years of collaboration and determination by cross-party leaders from all corners of the Midlands,” Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive of Midlands Connect, said.
Subject to future decisions, this first phase of the Rail Hub could be completed by the early 2030s.
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