Published: Wednesday 11 November 2017

Midlands Connect responds to government's rail strategy

The Department for Transport has set out its strategic vision for our railways, including work being done by Midlands Connect to make the case for a Midlands Rail Hub to increase rail capacity across the region.

Commenting on the Department for Transport’s strategic vision for rail, Maria Machancoses, Director of Midlands Connect, said,

"Midlands Connect is looking forward to working with the government to take forward the ideas and proposals announced in today’s Rail Strategy, particularly the Midlands Rail Hub, and to receiving more detail on proposals for a freight route running through Central Birmingham. We have already received £5 million from the government to develop a business plan for the Midlands Rail Hub, a programme of rail upgrades which could provide an extra 10 trains per hour and 85,000 seats per day across the East and West Midlands. That’s more than the capacities of Leicester City, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion’s football grounds combined.  An additional £2 million for the Midlands Rail Hub was announced in last week’s Budget to improve rail capacity on the Coventry-Leamington corridor. The Midlands rail network is overcrowded and we believe Midlands Connect’s strategy of rail and road improvements will create jobs, grow businesses and improve the quality of life of the region’s 12 million people."