HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : SRA Chairman Confirms Vision for West Midlands [April 2001]

The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 12 April 2001.

Speaking in Birmingham this morning, Sir Alastair Morton confirmed the SRA’s phased strategy for rail development in and around “the hub of England”, as he called Birmingham recently. He welcomed the West Midlands Capacity Study done by Railtrack for a Steering Group consisting of the SRA (in the Chair), Centro (the West Midlands PTE), Railtrack, the Government Office for the West Midlands and Birmingham City Council.

Sir Alastair said:“Railtrack have done a good job on this study. Now we have to prepare and cost practical plans, working with Centro and with commercial property and rail interests developing Birmingham City centre and the rail services to suit it over the next 15 years or so. What we plan from now on may take years to put in place.

“Phase 1 will aim to increase rail passenger capacity available at Central Birmingham stations by 100% or more, while facilitating easier movement of more rail freight through the region.

“For Phase 2 we must begin this year preparing for step-change enlargements in the rail capacity available to Central Birmingham, to be designed, costed and, if possible built, to open for business early in the next decade. Timing should support Birmingham’s development at the heart of the Midlands, not follow behind.”

The first relief from recent difficulties caused by rising traffic has been Railtrack’s successful remodelling last year of Proof House Junction. Next will be the introduction of a new timetable at New Street station next year. Railtrack and train operators have jointly developed major changes which will provide a much better flow of services, with a third more train paths available than in 2000.

“We build on that,” Sir Alastair said. “Phase 1 works should include track development on Birmingham’s second route to London and the South East, via Solihull and Leamington Spa, linking in to the passenger and freight service development intended for the Cherwell valley. Then there is both train and passenger access to Birmingham’s stations – New Street, Snow Hill, Moor Street and Old Moor Street – supporting access to the city centre and facilitating efficient through services, to be provided by long-term and dynamic Chiltern, Central and Virgin franchises. More freight must move by rail into, from and through the region without obstructing or being obstructed by passenger services. The SRA is working with Railtrack to upgrade the direct freight routes via Nuneaton to the port of Felixstowe and from the West Midlands to Southampton.

“It is important that we first squeeze every possible benefit out of the existing network through platform and train lengthening, as well as renewing, rebuilding and upgrading as appropriate. A doubling of seats available, perhaps more, should be very good value for the money – hopefully less than £500 million over seven years for Phase 1 – but we must see.

“It is too easy to become obsessed with the two linked major projects in Phase 2, namely four-tracking much of the route from Coventry to Wolverhampton and developing a tunnel route into a new station below or next to New Street station. The two major parts of Phase 2 need each other and will be costly. The SRA must be sure they will continue the modal shift to rail in and through “the hub of England” – New Street. They need careful preparation, but personally I expect to see them built.”

Sir Alastair concluded: “Centro’s plans for buses and light rail have to mesh well with the SRA’s Strategic Plan. Access to Birmingham’s stations must be fully user friendly. Rail freight must be re-routed and developed to ease road congestion and pollution, without taking it through New Street. The re-opening of the Stourbridge to Walsall corridor will help deliver this.

“There is much to do, and the Project Development Group (PDG) we now establish with Railtrack to develop the projects must work closely with Centro, with train operators, with Birmingham City Council and with developers. The time for action has arrived: the joint studies of the past 18 months have proved most useful. The new relationship between the SRA and Railtrack must take this strategy forward, I trust with Centro’s vigorous support and guidance.”