Enabling progress and facilitating growth

A rail strategy for the West Midlands and Chilterns

More seats, on faster journeys, to more

places

Up to 10 extra trains every hour into central

Birmingham

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 London Marylebone; 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.

Rail growth and the economy

High Speed Two (HS2)

The opening of HS2 from 2026 will transform the area, with new stations at Curzon Street in Birmingham city centre, Birmingham Interchange adjacent to Birmingham Airport and at Old Oak Common in west London. New high speed services between London, Birmingham, Manchester, 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.

Growth

The number of passengers using the railway across the study area has increased substantially over the past decade, and further growth is forecast.

PassengerGrowth to

2043

114%

76%

London Marylebone Wes

t Mid

land

s

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Devolution

Government is encouraging policy to be set locally to drive forward economic growth. Midlands Connect and England’s Economic Heartland are bringing together transport authorities, businesses and Network Rail 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.

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Approach

This document sets out a rail strategy for the West Midlands and Chilterns. A number of upgrades to the network have been identified as choices 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

West Midlands Strategy

A growing railway

• 50 million rail journeys a year

• Rail’s market share increasing

• commuting by rail into Birmingham is forecast to grow by 49% to 2023 and by 114% to 2043.

East - West Midlands Links

• Currently unattractive journey times and frequency between key cities

• Midlands Connect work has identified this as holding back economic growth

• Midlands Rail Hub will improve this through new services

A growing economy

The railway of the West Midlands performs an essential role in connecting communities and supporting economic growth. • faster economic growth than the national average • 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• major investments including Birmingham New Street Gateway,

Birmingham Curzon Street and Brmingham Interchange.

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Rail market share

2001 20160%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Extra carriages needed to meet Birmingham commuter demand

20242043

Heart of the HS2network

BirminghamCurzon Street

ManchesterAirport

ManchesterPiccadilly

BirminghamInterchange

East MidlandsHub

SheffieldMeadowhall

LondonEuston

Old Oak Common

By 20243300 extra seats on key commuter routes

2900 extra seats on long distance services

Upgraded stations

Worcester area upgrade

Midlands Rail HubInfrastructureBordesley Chords and new platforms at Moor StreetMore tracks through Water OrtonKings Norton upgradeSnow Hill Platform 4

Begin rollout of Digital Railway

BenefitsUp to 10 extra trains every hourMore freight trains New journey opportunities between East and West MidlandsUnlocking new jobsMaximising benefits of HS2

University

New Street

SnowHill Moor

Street

Kings Norton

Map Key

Upgraded station

Upgrade location

Longer trains

Worcester

Leamington Spa

WaterOrton

CoventryRugby

Stafford

Shrewsbury

Wolverhampton

Towards 2043

Full rollout of Digital Railway

Extra tracks between Stetchford and Birmingham International

New junctions at Barnt Green and Water Orton

Further electrification

CentralBirmingham

KingsNorton

Bordesley

Bordesley

5Chilterns Strategy

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Chilterns Strategy

Growth

• 20 per cent increase in passengers at Marylebone between 2011 and 2015.

• The number of passengers is forecast to grow by 22% to 2023 and by 76% to 2043

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 expanding beyond the traditional City

• growing towns with major housing development planned at Aylesbury, Bicester and Princes Risborough

• Marylebone Station is approaching its maximum capacity, in terms of train numbers and passengers

• any expansion of Marylebone is likely to be expensive, and disruptive due to its constrained location.

East West Rail

• a new railway between Oxford and Bletchley

• offering new journey opportunities, supporting economic growth and new housing

• promoted by East West Rail Consortium and supported by England’s Economic Heartland.

By 20241000 extra seats into London Marylebone

Station upgrade at Marylebone

Longer platforms at key stations

Extra carriages needed to meet Marylebone commuter demand

20242043

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Old Oak Common• Old Oak Common will create

a new business hub in West London, changing travel patterns.

• 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 new homes

• Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation established to drive forward regeneration

East West Rail

New train service connecting Bedford and Oxford

New train service connecting Milton Keynes and Aylesbury

New train service connecting Milton Keynes and Oxford

New station at Winslow

Bedford

Bletchley

Aylesbury

PrincesRisborough

Old Oak Common

London Marylebone

Leamington Spa

Oxford

Map Key

Upgraded station

New station

Upgrade location

Longer trains

East West Rail

Connecting to Old Oak CommonInfrastructureNew station at Old Oak Common Upgraded route linking the Chilterns with Old Oak Common

BenefitsUp to 4 additional trains per hour, with more travel options in to LondonAccess to HS2, Crossrail and Great West Main LineReduced cost and disruption compared to upgrading Marylebone

Toward 2043

Additional tracks between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury

More track capacity

New train fleet

ElectrificationRollout of Digital Railway

Midlands Connect 7

Midlands Rail Hub

£200m in wider economic benefits

identified by Midlands Connect

The Midlands Connect Strategy will be produced by March 2017 and set out prioritised investment across the Midlands’ strategic transport network.

Principles• ‘One Voice’ approach on

transport investment

• evidence based approach

• prioritising investment across the region.

Aims• Develop the vision and

strategy for transforming transport connectivity

• set out a credible long-term transport investment strategy

• support economic growth of the Midlands and the whole UK

Midlands Connect recognises the important link between transport and the economy and is a core component of the Midlands Engine.

The Midlands needs to be ready for the arrival of HS2, to maximise the economic potential of this transformational investment.

Midlands Connect endorses the Midland Rail Hub as the first piece of the puzzle that will allow extra trains and new journey opportunities, strengthening links into and between city centres. The partnership has also identified key corridors where improved journey times would create, and improve access to jobs, driving forward economic growth.

“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

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