Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) are to explore the feasibility and business cases for five new railway stations across the region.
The five proposed stations – Balsall Heath, Coventry East (Binley), Foleshill, Castle Bromwich and Tettenhall – have been selected from a long list of 15 following an initial feasibility study. They were identified as those with the strongest case for development first.
It follows the award of funding from the West Midlands City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) to investigate and plan the next phase of station development.
Once complete these business cases could be used to secure further Government funding to design and build the new stations.
Delivery of some of the new stations is also linked to the completion of HS2 which will free up capacity for more local services on existing rail lines, as well as completion of the Midland Rail Hub project to increase rail network capacity into central Birmingham.
Three of the new stations need to be planned now so they can be built and ready to open alongside Midlands Rail Hub and HS2.
TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and the WMRE are already overseeing the growth of the rail network in the region with construction work currently under way on five new stations – three on the Camp Hill line in south Birmingham at Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road, and two on the Walsall to Wolverhampton line serving Darlaston and Willenhall. Funding has also been allocated, subject to business case, to build a new station at Aldridge.
The initial assessment of the five stations covered:
- Balsall Heath on the Camp Hill line in Birmingham. This would require construction of the Bordesley Chords and extra capacity at Moor Street Station as currently proposed by the Midlands Rail Hub project
- Coventry East (Binley) – on the main line between Coventry and Rugby which will benefit from greater capacity for local services following completion of HS2
- Foleshill – on the Coventry-Nuneaton line
- Castle Bromwich – east of Birmingham which would also benefit from the greater capacity into central Birmingham provided by Midlands Rail Hub
- Tettenhall – west of Wolverhampton on the line to Shrewsbury
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMRE Chair, said: “New stations are taking shape across Birmingham and the Black Country – with diggers in the ground after our success in securing funding.
“Alongside these projects now underway, we’re turning our attention to the next set of stations and these five are a good place to start.
“Investing in rail stations is Levelling Up in action – helping to regenerate local areas, offer a convenient alternative to the car and driving job creation.”
Image credit: TfWM
