In a major milestone, Government has pledged to invest in the
transformational scheme.
Midlands Connect's flagship scheme, a transformational rail
improvement which will benefit 7 million people across the
region, has been given the green light.
Midlands Rail Hub is a blueprint for faster, better and more
frequent connections across the Midlands.
Two new ‘chords' and 10+ engineering interventions throughout the
region will allow more than 20 million extra seats for passengers
and up to 300 extra trains every day.
Chancellor , highlighted the scheme in
her Comprehensive Spending Review in June. Today's announcement
goes beyond this, providing the capital investment needed to make
it a reality.
Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive of Midlands Connect
said: "This is a breakthrough moment for our region, one
which will led to a fundamental shift in opportunities and
investment, and we will see growth in jobs, housing and in our
economy as a direct result.
"We are beyond thrilled to welcome this Government commitment,
and it is a testament to the determination of our mayors,
leaders, MPs and partners across the region who have championed
this scheme.
"Midlands Rail Hub is a once in a generation chance to change our
collective future for the better."
The scale of this announcement is a huge step forward in
delivering the overall ambition of Midlands Rail Hub - to boost
frequency and capacity to as many places as possible across the
region.
It is a vote of confidence in a project which is expected to
create nearly 13,000 construction jobs and serve up to 50
stations and destinations across the Midlands and beyond.
Thanks to the work of the co-sponsor partners involved - Midlands
Connect, the Department for Transport, Network Rail and West
Midlands Rail Executive, it will progress to Full Business
Case completion in 2028, with parts of the scheme
entering into service in the early 2030s.
About Midlands Connect
Midlands Connect is the Sub-national Transport Body for
the Midlands.
Midlands Connect researches, develops and champions long-term
transport projects to provide the biggest possible economic,
social and environmental benefits for the Midlands and the rest
of the UK.
We examine every option for improving major transport
infrastructure in our region. The fundamental aim of these
improvements is to transform regional and UK gateways, bringing
the Midlands closer together and accelerating cost-effective
improvements to unlock east-west connectivity that will enable
the region's economies to work more effectively together.
Our partnership is made up of 22 local authorities, East Midlands
and Birmingham airports, and Chambers of Commerce stretching from
the Welsh border to the Lincolnshire coast. The partnership also
includes the Department for Transport, Network Rail, National
Highways and HS2 Ltd, with whom we work alongside to drive an
unprecedented level of collaboration for the good of the Midlands
and the UK.
The Midlands Connect Strategy, as well as its latest reports, can
be downloaded here: https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/publications/
