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Wednesday 8 Jul 2026

Midlands Rail Hub consultation to outline early proposals for major upgrade to Birmingham’s railway

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: Central

A public and stakeholder consultation on proposed major upgrades to the railway in Birmingham which would transform journeys, create jobs, and boost opportunities across the West Midlands has been launched.

The eight-week consultation covers major upgrades of the railway between Bordesley and Birmingham Moor Street as part of the transformational Midlands Rail Hub project.

The proposals are at an early stage and members of the public and local businesses are urged to have their say as feedback from this consultation will help shape the final plans.

Midlands Rail Hub is the region’s biggest and most ambitious rail improvement scheme which would provide faster, better, and more frequent journeys for local, regional, and national passengers. It would also boost economic growth, create regeneration opportunities, support the delivery of new homes, and improve regional access to HS2 at Curzon Street.

The proposals will also help to better integrate the railway with other transport networks including buses and trams, helping to provide more seamless and better journeys across the West Midlands.

Managed by the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance, a partnership which is developing plans for the Midlands Rail Hub upgrades, the consultation seeks to gather views and comments on plans to upgrade the railway and transform Birmingham Moor Street station and how it is used by trains travelling in, out, and through the city.

Midlands Rail Hub will significantly increase the number of trains which use Birmingham Moor Street by building two new sections of railway, known as ‘chords,’ which connect the Camp Hill line with the Chiltern main line for the first time.

Sections of the existing Bordesley viaduct, which runs through Digbeth and into Birmingham Moor Street, would be widened while two new platforms would be built and the existing platform 5 brought back into working use.

The improvements would transfer a number of regional train services from Birmingham New Street to Birmingham Moor Street. This would reduce congestion at Birmingham New Street - the busiest station outside of London - and allow for much-needed additional local and long-distance services to be strategically added which would further improve connectivity and improve journey options but not cause congestion at the station.

In more detail, the proposals would enable:

• Three additional trains per hour to towns and cities South West of Birmingham
• The reinstatement of two additional Cross City line trains per hour (meaning there would be six trains per hour in total)
• Four additional trains per hour towards the East Midlands, one of which will also serve the North East

Mark Cuzner, Midlands Rail Hub Alliance director, said: “These proposals represent a key element of the wider vision for the Midlands Rail Hub and its transformational potential to enable growth, improved connectivity, and opportunities for millions of people. 

“The consultation we are launching today is an opportunity for the residents, businesses and communities of Birmingham to gain early insights into the proposals, speak to the team who are driving this forward and, most importantly, to provide their views and feedback to shape our detailed plans.”

Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “Midlands Rail Hub is a transformational project which would change the landscape of the railway in Birmingham and provide huge benefits across the city, region, and Britain.

“Not only will it improve journeys, but it will also connect people with new opportunities, create new jobs and access to careers, and be a catalyst for much-needed house building in the region.

“This consultation is an opportunity to ask questions, find out more, and contribute to future plans and I am excited to see the outcome and how it influences what happens next.”   

Rail Minister, Lord Hendy said: "The Midlands Rail Hub will be transformational for Birmingham and the wider region - delivering faster, more frequent journeys for millions of passengers.

"With £123 million of Government investment behind it, this is a project that will create jobs, open up new opportunities, and help deliver the homes and growth across the Midlands. I encourage residents, businesses and communities to get involved and have their say in this consultation."

Mal Drury‑Rose, Executive Director of the West Midlands Rail Executive, said: “Midlands Rail Hub is a vital project for the region's rail network and will lead to better transport options for the residents of the West Midlands, in conjunction with other transport improvements in the area.”

Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive of Midlands Connect, said: "When the railway at the heart of Britain reaches its limits, so does the economy it serves. For too long, congestion around Birmingham has constrained the growth of our rail network. Midlands Rail Hub changes that.

"With Government's commitment now secured, we can create the capacity for more services, better connections and greater opportunities, helping to build a railway that matches the ambitions of a growing Midlands economy and delivers benefits far beyond our region."

The consultation runs from Monday 6 July and is open until Friday 28 August and provides anyone who is interested in the proposals with opportunities to learn more about the project, ask questions and provide feedback which will be used to shape the detailed proposals.

It includes three in-person drop-in sessions at three locations and one webinar over the coming weeks:

• Saturday 11 July 2026, 11am – 4pm:

The Old Library at Zellig, Gibb Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AT

• Monday 13 July 2026, 4pm – 8pm:

The Saffron Centre, 256 Moseley Road, Birmingham, B12 0BS 

• Wednesday 15 July 2026, 12pm – 1pm:

Online via Microsoft Teams, email engagement@mrhalliance.co.uk to register

• Friday 17 July 2026, 12pm – 6.30pm:

Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 6 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EP

Following the consultation, feedback will be analysed and used to help shape the final, detailed proposals which will be subject to a second consultation in summer 2027. The Midlands Rail Hub Alliance then expects to submit a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application to the Secretary of State for Transport in early 2028.

The Midlands Rail Hub programme provides a blueprint for faster, better, and more frequent connections across the Midlands. Midlands Rail Hub will add up to 300 additional trains on the rail network per day into or out of Birmingham and provide faster, more frequent, or new rail links for over 50 locations including: Nottingham, Leicester, Bromsgrove, Nuneaton, Worcester, Hereford, and Cardiff.

More information on the project, its consenting routes, and how people can provide their feedback is available at www.mrhalliance.co.uk.

The Midlands Rail Hub Alliance is a partnership between AtkinsRéalis, Laing O’Rourke, Network Rail, Siemens Mobility and VolkerRail. The Alliance is working with Midlands Connect, the West Midlands Rail Executive, Network Rail, and the Department for Transport to deliver the Birmingham Moor Street station to Bordesley rail network enhancements as part of the wider Midlands Rail Hub programme.