We think that Birmingham should support the idea of a high-speed rail network to the city centre.
Birmingham should actively promote the development of the high-speed rail network to the city centre.
Birmingham city centre has oustanding national rail links, mainly because of New Street Station, but Moor Street and Snow Hill stations are also important. New Street Station is the main route to Birmingham International Airport and so the way most overseas travelers enter the city. However it is not a good experience. On top of that New Street is just to busy, a problem which will only get worse.
We have now set aside money for the redevelopment of New Street and protected land for four tracks between New Street and Birmingham International over much of the route. We are also investigate how we could get European High Speed trains to both Birmingham and the Airport.
Birmingham city centre has outstanding connectivity to a wide range of national destinations by rail, with New Street Station the focus of an extensive network of services and Moor Street and Snow Hill stations having a secondary but nonetheless important role. New Street Station is also the main route to Birmingham International Airport and thus the primary global entrance point into the city centre. However, the arrival experience is poor. Current capacity difficulties at New Street Station have been exacerbated by significant growth in passenger trips in Birmingham. The comprehensive redevelopment of New Street now has committed funding. Space to allow for four tracks between New Street and Birmingham International stations is protected over much of the route, and the opportunity for running European High Speed Train services to both the City Centre and the Airport is under investigation.
More and more people are travelling to Birmingham by rail. We think the number of trips could have doubled by 2035. This could mean longer trains or extra services. The redevelopment of New Street will make it much more pleasant for passengers arriving in the city. Two tracks rather than one will improve the service to the airport whilst improvements to the Bordesley Chords will allow new services to access central Birmingham. However this may not be enough.
The number of trips made by rail to and from Birmingham has increased notably in recent years. Growth could be heading for 100% by 2035. Additional services and longer trains will handle some of this growth and the New Street Gateway redevelopment will provide a better arrival experience. Improved rail frequencies will be provided to the Airport through double tracking and, in addition, improvements to the Bordesley Chords will allow new services to access central Birmingham. These improvements may not be able to handle all the predicted growth.
If there is a chance of European High Speed Trains to Birmingham we should grab that with both hands. The Big City Plan should look much more closely at which tracks and stations would best serve this line. If this means making sure land is available in the right parts of the city we need to plan for this.
The opportunity for European High Speed Trains to serve Birmingham should be firmly grasped. The Big City Plan should help influence the ultimate choice of route and station location for a future HST connection to the city centre, providing the opportunity for strengthened national and international rail connections in the future. Further work is required to understand what alignment the track would take, and requisite processes for safeguarding land requirements.
How can we make more use of rail to transport workers and others into the city centre, up to and after the year 2025, and what transport network projects will we need to support this? Can and should the Big City Plan prepare for a future High Speed Train route to the city centre and facilities for people getting off.
How can rail play a stronger role in providing for commuter and other travel needs into the city centre, up to and beyond 2025, and what infrastructure projects will be needed to support this? Can and should the Big City Plan provide appropriate protection for a future High Speed Train route to the city centre and related disembarkation facilities?