Media centre

Wednesday 19 Apr 2006

BIRMINGHAM GATEWAY STATEMENT

Region & Route:

The partners behind proposals for the £500m Birmingham Gateway redevelopment have revealed that Network Rail is conducting a comprehensive review of rail capacity throughout Birmingham and the West Midlands. Key Points: Rail capacity review: · Network Rail is undertaking a serious review of rail growth looking at the longer term to establish the exact nature of the challenges that we face, and how these challenges can best be met. The review will be finalised by the middle of June 2006. What the partners also said: · Gateway “would represent a major investment in Birmingham’s public transport network”. The scheme is “affordable, can be achieved within a reasonable time frame and can be delivered with minimum disruption for passengers”. · The Birmingham ‘Grand Central’ proposal would be “incremental to – and not a replacement for - New Street, and it is most unlikely to be required for a significant period of time”. · “Confusion and distraction from the development of the Gateway scheme risks Birmingham's rail transport network going unchanged for the foreseeable future”. This would “suffocate Birmingham's aspiration to grow as a modern city with world class facilities.” Please find the full statement below. ENDS Notes to Editors

1. Network Rail, Birmingham City Council, Advantage West Midlands and Centro- PTA commented:

“Everything that this partnership has invested to date is a reflection of an absolute commitment to ensure that our plans are consistent with finding the best solution for delivering increased rail capacity, for the city and for the future of the region’s rail network.” “The plans for Birmingham Gateway are the result of substantial analysis and are part of a long term strategy for the Network. We believe that this scheme would represent a major investment in Birmingham’s public transport network and deliver significant benefits to the city and the wider region. It is something that is affordable, can be achieved within a reasonable time frame and can be delivered with minimum disruption for passengers. “The Birmingham ‘Grand Central’ proposal would be incremental to – and not a replacement for - New Street, and it is most unlikely to be required for a significant period of time. Confusion and distraction from the development of the Gateway scheme risks Birmingham's rail transport network going unchanged for the foreseeable future. We believe that this would suffocate Birmingham's aspiration to grow as a modern city with world class facilities. “Addressing rail capacity in the West Midlands, today and for the future, is clearly important to the leaders and the people of the region. We already know that Birmingham New Street can cope with significant future growth through measures such as the lengthening of trains. However, a serious review of rail growth in the much longer term is the only way to establish the exact nature of the challenges that we face, and how these challenges can best be met. “Such a review is presently being undertaken by Network Rail and represents a sensible piece of due diligence for a major piece of public investment. We expect the review to be finalised by the middle of June 2006”.