26.09.18
Plans unveiled for Birmingham’s future rail stations
Station plans and artists impressions have been unveiled for new railway stations in Birmingham which will form part of the reopening of the Camp Hill Line.
Stations in Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell are the first of several on the line which will partially reopen for the first time since the Second World War.
The Camp Hill Line will deliver services to the city centre, providing people with an alternative to commuting via buses and cars on the often congested A435 Alcester Road.
Following detailed planning over the next 12 months, construction work on the scheme is due to start in 2020 and will be finished by the end of 2021 in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
Chris Grayling joined West Midlands mayor Andy Street for a tour of the Moseley station and the unveiling of the new station designs.
Street said: “I know exactly how important reopening this railway line is to people in the communities in Kings Heath, Moseley and Hazelwell, and everybody who has a part to play in making this happen is working towards getting it reopened as quickly as possible.
“Congestion from this part of the city into the city centre is one of the huge drawbacks for what are otherwise thriving areas – undoing the rail closures seven decades ago will be a huge step in tackling both congestion and the clean air challenge we all face.”
Initially, two trains an hour are expected to run into Birmingham New Street with journey times of around 15 minutes.
The plans are being jointly developed by West Midlands Rail Executive, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), West Midlands Railway and Network Rail.
Cllr Roger Lawrence, the chair of West Midlands Rail Executive, said: “The Moseley line is part of the wider investment TfWM is making across our region.
“We are working on extending our tram network, developing new Sprint rapid bus routes and of course looking to reopen more railway lines.”
Martin Frobisher, managing director for Network Rail’s London North Western route, said the upgrades were “really exciting.”
He said: “We are eager to work with all partner organisations that share our ambition to bring lasting improvements for rail customers.
“On the Camp Hill line proposals, we are undertaking detailed work to assess the practicality of the timetable and to determine if additional railway infrastructure is needed.”
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Top Image - Moseley Station