Revealed: 13 new rail stations planned for the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire

Transport chiefs are examining the business cases for 13 stations in a bid to open up routes to thousands more passengers.

They include Meecebrook, between Stafford and Stoke – which has just been handed Government funding for initial investigations – and the long-mooted new stop at Pendeford, which has been dubbed Tettenhall Station.

Many of the schemes involve opening new stations at the sites of previously closed ones.

In the Black Country, Brownhills, Pelsall and Streetly are being looked at, as is the decade-old scheme for the Brinsford Parkway station in Staffordshire.

A number of stations are lined up for Birmingham and its surrounding areas, including Sutton Coldfield Town.

Castle Bromwich, which closed to passenger services in the late 1960s, is also being looked at - as is the new Fort Parkway station on the Birmingham-Peterborough line.

Bosses are also examining schemes for Dudley Road in Smethwick and the old Brighton Road station in Balsall Heath.

A number of other stations have been identified for the areas around Coventry, as well as Walmley, Minworth, Rugby.

It is understood that each station has a budget of around £20m, with many of them considered "quick wins" due to some infrastructure already being in place.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is a known advocate of building more stations, and was instrumental in schemes to open new stations in Darlaston and Willenhall, which are also part of the plans.

Transport bosses believe the stations will increase access to rail travel, which took a major hit during the pandemic due to lockdown measures, and also free up the roads.

All schemes are dependent on securing Government funding.