Wolverhampton could get 32 more trains a day under £3.5bn rail plan
Wolverhampton could benefit from 32 extra trains per day as plans are unveiled for a multi-billion pound rail improvement programme.
Midlands Engine Rail, a £3.5 billion improvement programme to transform the region's rail network, was launched yesterday by lobby group Midlands Connect.
The plans could see more frequent services at the city's train station to and from London, Milton Keynes, Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham, Telford, Wellington and Shrewsbury.
Supporters of the plans have said it will give the Midlands the 'long-overdue investment' it deserves.
Under the new scheme, Wolverhampton could see up to 32 extra trains per day leaving and arriving at the station with more than one train per hour in each direction.
Civic and business leaders are now calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to back Midlands Engine Rail, fund the next stage of its development – £45.5 million over the next three years – and to display the same enthusiasm for infrastructure investment in the Midlands as he has in the North.
Sir John Peace, chair of Midlands Connect and Midlands Engine said: "In the Midlands, more people are travelling on the railways than ever before. We now need investment from Government to allow our people, businesses and infrastructure to reach their full potential, and to drive a further boost in passenger numbers.
“Whether they live in Shrewsbury, Lincoln, Birmingham or Leicester, our communities deserve the opportunity to make greener choices, to access a world-class education and to reach the widest possible variety of career opportunities. We must create a transport network that helps our businesses to grow, not holds them back”
“My message to the Prime Minister is clear; it’s time you made a long-overdue commitment to the future of our rail network. 10 million Midlanders are counting on you; invest in their futures, turn our vision into reality, back Midlands Engine Rail.”
Up to 60 locations could benefit from improved services as part of the scheme, including Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Lincoln, Worcester and Wolverhampton.
Designed to be delivered in stages from 2022 to the completion of HS2 Phase Two, Midlands Engine Rail will provide a much-needed capacity boost for national, local and regional rail services, creating space for 736 more passenger trains on the network each day.
