Rail hub to boost line with a train every 10 minutes

The Midlands Rail Hub is set to boost journeys across Birmingham’s Cross City line, with local stations benefiting from a train every ten minutes.

Birmingham MPs Al Carns (Selly Oak) and Laurence Turner (Northfield) met with Midlands Connect and other rail chiefs at Kings Norton station, which is due to be upgraded with a new footbridge.

As part of the Midlands Rail Hub, trains to Longbridge, Northfield, Kings Norton, Bournville and Selly Oak will create a ‘turn up and go’ London-style service and create five million extra seats every year.

Over the course of the project, more than 12,750 roles are expected to result from the Midlands Rail Hub programme.

Last year, the previous Government committed to ‘full’ delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub, and in February this year, an additional £123m was allocated to progress detailed engineering designs.

Both MPs were given a tour of the station and discussed the plans with rail bosses. The Midlands Rail Hub is the flagship scheme of Midlands Connect and when delivered in full, the Hub will see services on several routes increase by between 50% and 100%.

Mike Bull, programme director of Midlands Connect said: “Creating a service every ten minutes for thousands of passengers in Birmingham is a key part of the Midlands Rail Hub. It will make commuting easier and create a turn-up-and-go line. We can do this due to the extra capacity that the Midlands Rail Hub creates”.

Al Carns, MP for Birmingham Selly Oak said: “These plans are a fantastic opportunity to boost connectivity on one of our key local railway lines. The proposed new timetable will undoubtedly improve public transport connectivity in the communities served by the Cross City line.

“The current offer is inadequate for local people and businesses to see the railway as a viable alternative to the car. Better transport links mean more opportunities to level up the economic and social life of our local communities. I am thrilled to see this investment in upgrading Kings Norton station and in our local commuter routes such as the Cross City line, and I know current and future users will benefit hugely from a better rail service on the line.”

Laurence Turner, MP for Birmingham Northfield said: “Today’s announcement is welcome news for Kings Norton. The new proposed timetable will bring the much-needed reliability and frequency that residents have needed for many years.

“These plans to upgrade Kings Norton station and reinstate its disused platforms signal exactly the right ambitions for investment in public transport in south Birmingham and will help provide a better incentive to use the train instead of driving.

“We need to be pushing for this investment which will generate growth in the short term, with the creation of more than ten thousand jobs, as well as the long-term benefit to commuters and the community.

“Longer-term, I hope that funding can be secure to secure equivalent improvements to Northfield station and embrace Longbridge’s potential as an interchange station for services that connect the West Midlands and the South West.”