A new report from Midlands Connect reveals that towns and cities along the Midlands Rail Hub route could benefit from a £14 billion annual economic uplift if the region’s productivity matched the national average.
The report, launched today, highlights that productivity in key Midlands cities is up to 21% lower than the rest of England. Improved rail connectivity through the Midlands Rail Hub could help close this gap by reducing journey times, connecting workers and businesses, and unlocking growth.
CEO of Midlands Connect, Maria Machancoses, said:
“The government investment to improve the Midlands and beyond connectivity through the Midlands Rail Hub is an investment in unlocking its people, its productivity and its economy. The plans and the potential are in place, now we need to make it happen.”
Annual economic uplift by city if productivity reaches UK average:
- Birmingham: £6.6bn
- Nottingham: £2.8bn
- Leicester: £1.8bn
- Derby: £0.9bn
- Hereford: £0.3bn
- Gloucester: £1.0bn
- Cheltenham: £0.3bn
- Worcester: £0.4bn
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, also commented:
“The West Midlands is the heart of the national rail network, yet years of underinvestment has led to bottlenecks in our system. Trains are overcrowded and routes are underserved. This is stifling transport links and growth for the region and for the whole of the UK.
“The Midlands Rail Hub is the investment the region, and the UK, needs. It will open up routes across the Midlands and beyond, giving passengers more reliable and frequent services with shorter journey times.
“It will improve links to key locations such as Swindon, Cardiff, Leicester, Derby and Nottingham while connecting more of our local communities to the rail network. This is our vision for the future – one where residents have a faster, greener and more reliable way to access jobs, education and healthcare while contributing to the economic growth we so badly need.”
The project proposes two new rail ‘chords’ and over 10 engineering interventions, enabling up to 20 million extra seats, 300 additional trains per day, and improved access to Birmingham Moor Street from the South West, Wales, and East Midlands.
It will also support more than 20,000 new homes near stations like Worcestershire Parkway and Ashchurch for Tewkesbury, 13,000 supply chain jobs, and 300+ apprenticeships.
The Midlands Rail Hub is a central pillar of the region’s levelling-up agenda, aiming to connect communities, boost productivity, and drive long-term economic growth.
Image credit: iStock
