Agenda Item 6

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Report to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport

20th February 2008

Centro and Passenger Transport Authority Rail Vision – Development Strategy

1. Summary Statement

1.1 This report seeks approval of comments to be made to Centro and the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority, WMPTA, on their Rail Vision – Network Development Strategy, Draft for consultation. Responses have to be made by 29th February 2008. The draft Strategy is reproduced as Appendix A.

1.2 The Strategy looks across all aspects of the rail service being provided to passengers. It seeks to deliver enhanced services and greater capacity. It does not cover all rail schemes, but focuses on those which are believed to deliver the greatest benefits and that have the best chance of being taken forward.

1.3 The key infrastructure scheme believed to be necessary is the construction of the Bordesley Chords and a new rail route into Birmingham Moor Street station. This will allow some existing services to be diverted out of New Street station and new services to be developed.

1.4 Proposals are made for the following: - Network Wide Timetable Improvements, particularly evenings, Sundays and also providing “24/7” services to Birmingham International Airport. - Train Lengthening, including extra rolling stock, platform extensions and additional depots. - Park and Ride expansion on existing sites, but also developing Worcester North, Brinsford (), Shrewsbury Parkway, Stratford/Earlswood and Bromsgrove and Longbridge. - Station improvements, including Dudley Port which requires a major rebuild. This station is important as it has a greatly increased housing catchment and would link to the proposed Metro stop. - Chase Line Upgrade which would have wider network benefits as it is an important freight corridor and could act as a diversionary route for the . - Cross City South upgrade is a package of schemes, including frequency improvements, a new station at Barnt Green and major Park and Ride at Longbridge. This could reduce the peak congestion experienced in the south of Sandwell on the Hagley Road corridor. - Reopening of the Stourbridge// Freight Line. This would allow diversion of some freight flows easing congestion on central Birmingham routes, improving reliability and freeing up capacity for passenger services across the network. It is compatible with Metro proposals and may create opportunity for tram/train options. - Walsall Area Rail Improvements, including half hourly services New Street/Walsall/, New Street/Walsall/Aldridge and New Street/Walsall/Wolverhampton. While these would assist the growth proposals in the emerging Joint Core Strategy, they would add further load to a congested line and could affect reliability. The New Street/Walsall/Wolverhampton service does not appear to have much use and it is suggested that this proposal is reviewed.

1.5 The Strategy is welcomed as providing a clear outline of schemes for the West Midlands. The Council supports the proposals but is concerned about the proposals for the New Street/ Walsall services and in particular the triangular New Street/Walsall/Wolverhampton service which should be reassessed.

1.6 There are no direct costs arising to the Council from the consultation on the Draft Rail Vision. Centro and WMPTA will work to develop the schemes further and assess their costs and benefits to justify funding being allocated to them.

Further details are attached for your information.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the Rail Vision – Network Development Strategy be welcomed.

2.2 That the Director of Planning and Transportation be authorised to write to Centro and West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority:

(a) supporting the proposals in the Consultation Draft; (b) expressing concern about the proposals for the New Street/ Walsall services and in particular the triangular New Street/Walsall/Wolverhampton service and requesting the need for further work to justify the proposals;

(c) reiterating the Council’s policy on strategic park and ride and the need for expansions to be assessed by local demand.

In accordance with the authority delegated to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, the following course of action has been agreed, which will be set out in the formal record of the decisions taken by the Member:

(1) The recommendations above are approved.

(2) The recommendations above are approved as now amended.

(3) The recommendations above are not approved.

______Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Transport

Date 20th February, 2008

Robert A Lee Director of Planning & Transportation

Contact Officer John McIlroy Transportation Planning 0121 569 4021

3. Strategic Resource Implications

3.1 The Rail Vision, Network Development Strategy, Draft for Consultation outlines the proposals which Centro and WMPTA wish to take forward for a period to 2014. has already included a number of these projects in their Strategic Business Plan for 2009-14. The development of the West Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy will have to consider whether or not to take forward all the proposals in the Strategy.

3.2 Centro and WMPTA will work to find the best delivery and funding mechanisms to drive the overall strategy forward. As schemes are developed then there may be approaches to the Council to assist in funding, but they will be reported at that time.

4. Legal and Statutory Implications

4.1 The Strategy will feed into the Centro and WMPTA Strategic Business Plan for 2009-14. It builds on current proposals and initiatives.

4.2 The Strategy fully supports the Black Country Core Strategy by improving connectivity within the Black Country and to Birmingham.

5. Implications for the Council’s Corporate Priorities

5.1 The Strategy will assist in creating safer, cleaner , active communities by improving the rail offer and encouraging people to travel by means other than the private car.

5.2 The development of additional services, increased reliability and new stations will increase the access to jobs and assist the economy of Sandwell.

6. Background Details

6.1 Centro and the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority have published their draft Rail Vision: Network Development Strategy. It was approved for consultation in November 2007 and circulated to stakeholders on 14th January 2008. Responses have to be made by 29th February 2008.

6.2 The Strategy looks across all aspects of the rail services being provided to passengers. It seeks to deliver enhanced services and greater capacity, together with improvements to stations and parking. It does not cover all schemes but focuses on those which are believed to deliver the greatest benefits and that have the best chance of being taken forward.

6.3 The key infrastructure scheme believed by Centro and WMPTA to be necessary is the construction of the Bordesley Chords and a new rail route into Birmingham Moor Street station. This will allow some existing services to be diverted out of New Street station and new services to be developed. This should greatly assist the Walsall Line which is suffering capacity problems. However the Strategy also includes proposals to enhance rail services in the Walsall area which could once again create problems. The existing Birmingham/Walsall/Wolverhampton service is not well used and it is considered that further work is needed to justify these service proposals being taken forward.

6.4 The Network Wide Timetable improvements will look at service deficiencies and incremental evening enhancements should be easy to deliver in the short term. However improved late night and Sunday services will require Network Rail to change its network maintenance strategy.

6.5 Train lengthening with provide much needed capacity on the system but will also require platform lengthening. These proposals will require works at a number of stations, such as Dudley Port and Tipton. The location of additional stabling and depot facilities has yet to be determined.

6.6 Park and Ride expansion seeks to secure additional capacity across the network. Proposals in Sandwell need to be in accordance with Policy T13 of the Unitary Development Plan which states that strategic park and ride developments and proposals that would increase car journey length or promote additional car journeys in Sandwell will be resisted but supporting provision of local park and ride. The major proposals for Worcester North, Brinsford (Wolverhampton), Shrewsbury Parkway, Stratford/Earlswood and Bromsgrove and Longbridge will create facilities which help reduce traffic congestion on key corridors through Sandwell.

6.7 Station improvements include the Birmingham Gateway project to upgrade Birmingham New Street which is a regional priority. In Sandwell the major proposal is for the required major rebuilding of Dudley Port station. The importance of this station has increased with the new housing being completed in the area and it would link to the proposed Metro Stop.

6.8 The Chase Line Upgrade would have wider network benefits as well as improving the Walsall Rugeley route. It is an important freight corridor and could act as a diversionary route for the West Coast Main Line. The proposals also seek to explore electrification of this line.

6.9 Upgrading the Cross City South route includes service improvements, reviewing links to Frankley and providing a major new park and ride site at Longbridge and a 300+ space car park at Bromsgrove. This could reduce congestion in the south of Sandwell on the Hagley Road corridor.

6.10 Reopening of the Stourbridge/Walsall/Lichfield Freight line will allow diversion of some freight flows easing congestion on central Birmingham routes, improving reliability and freeing up capacity for passenger services across the network. Discussions about this development have taken place with Network Rail and a freight operator and there is also interest in reopening sidings to serve adjacent uses. The proposal is compatible with Metro and may create the opportunity for tram/train options to be studied.

6.11 Walsall area rail improvements include half hourly services New Street/Walsall/Rugeley, New Street/Walsall/Aldridge and New Street/Walsall/Wolverhampton. These require the Bordesley Chord scheme to be implemented and would add further load to a congested line and could affect reliability. While it is recognised that these would assist the emerging regeneration growth corridors north and west of Walsall in the emerging Joint Core Strategy, they will add to congestion on the line into Birmingham. The New Street/Walsall/Wolverhampton service does not appear to have much use and it is suggested that this proposal is reviewed.

Source Documents West Midlands Rail Vision: Network Development Strategy, Draft for Consultation. Centro-WMPTA. November 2007.