Enabling progress and facilitating growth

A rail strategy for the and Chilterns

More seats, on faster journeys, to more places

Up to 10 extra trains every hour into central

Ready to benefit from HS2 The railways across the West Midlands and Chilterns are vital to the region. They serve passengers travelling long distances; commuters into Birmingham city centre and ; freight to and from all corners of the country; and provide vital connections between the Midlands key urban centres. They play a critical role in connecting people to jobs, and businesses to markets and supporting economic growth. This document outlines an industry developed strategy to accommodate growth forecast for the next 10 to 30 years.

114%

76% Rail growth and the West Midlands economy Passenger London MaryleboneGrowth to 2043

Growth High Speed Two (HS2) The number of passengers using The opening of HS2 from 2026 the railway across the study area will transform the area, with has increased substantially over new stations at Curzon Street the past decade, and further in Birmingham city centre, growth is forecast. adjacent to Birmingham Airport and at Old Oak Common in west London. New high speed services between London, Birmingham, , Leeds and beyond will reshape travel into and across the region and act as a catalyst for change in its towns and cities. The focus on improved journey time and connectivity through links to HS2 is at the heart of the strategy.

2 Devolution Government is encouraging policy to be set locally to drive forward economic growth. Midlands Connect and ’s Economic Heartland are bringing together transport authorities, businesses and to identify targeted transport investment to support jobs, housing and the economy. West Midlands Combined Authority have been part of the development of the strategy, feeding in the economic and transport priorities for the region.

Approach This document sets out a rail strategy for the West Midlands and Chilterns. A number of upgrades to the network have been identified aschoices for funders in order to meet and facilitate forecast demand. These options are presented alongside the timescales for when interventions would be required. Funding will need to be identified in order to progress development further. The full details of the strategy and choices for funders can be found in the West Midlands and Chilterns Route Study.

The Digital Railway is a rail industry-wide programme to benefit Britain’s economy by accelerating use of digital technology on the railway. These include train operation, capacity allocation, passenger experience, infrastructure, and stations.

West Midlands Strategy 3 A growing economy The railway of the West Midlands performs an essential role in West connecting communities and supporting economic growth. • faster economic growth than the national average Midlands • strong growth recorded in Birmingham, the UK’s second city • Birmingham Airport is growing following the arrival of an extended runway and new routes, with 10 million passengers in 2015/16 Strategy • major investments including Birmingham New Street Gateway, Birmingham Curzon Street and Brmingham Interchange.

A growing railway Rail market share East - West Midlands Links

• 50 million rail journeys a year 40% • Currently unattractive journey 35% times and frequency between • Rail’s market share increasing 30% key cities 25% • commuting by rail into 20% • Midlands Connect work has Birmingham is forecast to grow 15% identified this as holding back 10% economic growth by 49% to 2023 and by 114% 5% to 2043. 0% • Midlands Rail Hub will improve 2001 2016 this through new services

Extra carriages needed to meet Birmingham Heart of the HS2 commuter demand Manchester Piccadilly Meadowhall network 2024 Manchester 2043 Airport East Midlands Hub

Birmingham Interchange Birmingham Curzon Street

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 London Euston Old Oak Common

4 By 2024 Midlands Rail Hub 3300 extra seats on key Infrastructure Benefits commuter routes Bordesley Chords and new Up to 10 extra trains every hour 2900 extra seats on long platforms at Moor Street More freight trains distance services More tracks through Water New journey opportunities Orton Upgraded stations between East and West Midlands Kings Norton upgrade Unlocking new jobs Worcester area upgrade Snow Hill Platform 4 Maximising benefits of HS2 Begin rollout of Digital Railway

Stafford

Shrewsbury

Wolverhampton Water Orton

Central Birmingham Bordesley Coventry Rugby Kings Norton

Worcester

Map Key Towards 2043 Upgraded station Snow Full rollout of Digital Railway Hill Moor Upgrade location Street Extra tracks between New Stetchford and Birmingham Longer trains Street Bordesley University International New junctions at Barnt Green and Water Orton Kings Further electrification Norton

Chilterns Strategy 5 A changing geography The Chiltern Route provides an important commuter route into London with connections to the underground. • London continues to grow, and evolve with economic hubs Chilterns expanding beyond the traditional City • growing towns with major housing development planned at Strategy , and • is approaching its maximum capacity, in terms of train numbers and passengers

• any expansion of Marylebone is likely to be expensive, and Growth disruptive due to its constrained location. • 20 per cent increase in passengers at Marylebone • a new railway between and Bletchley between 2011 and 2015. • offering new journey opportunities, supporting economic growth • The number of passengers is and new housing forecast to grow by 22% to • promoted by East West Rail Consortium and supported by 2023 and by 76% to 2043 England’s Economic Heartland.

By 2024 Extra carriages needed to meet Marylebone commuter demand 1000 extra seats into 2024 London Marylebone 2043 Station upgrade at Marylebone Longer platforms at key

stations 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

6 Old Oak Common Connecting to Old Oak Common • Old Oak Common will create a new business hub in West Infrastructure Benefits London, changing travel New station at Old Oak Up to 4 additional trains per patterns. Common hour, with more travel options • 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 Upgraded route linking the in to London new homes Chilterns with Old Oak Access to HS2, and • Old Oak and Park Royal Common Great West Main Line Development Corporation Reduced cost and disruption established to drive forward compared to upgrading regeneration Marylebone

Leamington Spa

Bedford

Bletchley

Aylesbury

Oxford

Princes Risborough

Old Oak London Common Marylebone

Map Key East West Rail Toward 2043 Upgraded station New train service connecting Additional tracks between New station Bedford and Oxford Princes Risborough and Aylesbury Upgrade location New train service connecting Milton Keynes and Aylesbury More track capacity Longer trains New train service connecting New train fleet East West Rail Milton Keynes and Oxford Electrification New station at Winslow Rollout of Digital Railway

Midlands Connect 7 “we strongly believe that by working together and by speaking with one voice we can truly deliver growth strengthening the Midlands’ role as the engine of the UK’s economy” Sir John Peace - Midlands Connect

Principles Midlands Connect recognises the important link between transport • ‘One Voice’ approach on and the economy and is a core transport investment component of the Midlands • evidence based approach Engine. • prioritising investment across The Midlands needs to be ready the region. for the arrival of HS2, to maximise the economic potential of this transformational investment. Midlands Connect endorses the Midland Rail Hub as the first Midlands Rail piece of the puzzle that will allow extra trains and new journey Hub opportunities, strengthening links into and between city £200m in wider centres. The partnership has also economic benefits identified key corridors where improved journey times would identified by create, and improve access to Midlands Connect jobs, driving forward economic growth.

Aims The Midlands Connect • Develop the vision and Strategy will be strategy for transforming produced by March transport connectivity 2017 and set out • set out a credible long-term prioritised investment transport investment strategy across the Midlands’ • support economic growth of the Midlands and the whole strategic transport UK network.

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