West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says his new £15billion transport vison for the region includes reopening the Sutton Park rail line and creating new Metro lines to connect the Royal Town to the city centre.
As part of his plans Mr Street, who serves as the current Mayor of the West Midlands, wants to open eight new Metro lines and 21 new rail stations across the region by 2040.
On the Metro, Andy wants to build over 150 miles of new lines and around 380 new stops, and, in addition to the trams running on roads and on rail lines, he wants to have sections of the line running underground, using ‘cut and cover’ tunnelling to allow traffic to drive above the Metro line where there is not enough space on narrower roads.
Mr Street said: “The changes I have outlined for Sutton Coldfield’s transport network will bring huge investment into the Royal Town, reopening old railway stations that have been closed for decades and building exciting new Metro links to connect communities together.
“The re-opening of the Sutton Park line will see stations reopened in places like Streetly and Walmley, while Minworth and Pype Hayes will get a Metro link into the city centre.
“Together with the work to revamp the town centre railway station and bus interchange, this is the kind of transport investment that Sutton people have been asking for a very long time.
“In recent years we have made great progress completing the Metro extension to Centenary Square on time and on budget, and bringing the plans for the new rail stations to life in South Birmingham and the Black Country.
“But now is time for the next stage of ambition. This plan will connect communities which haven’t had Metro or rail lines for decades, and restore pride in the West Midlands.”
To illustrate the ambition behind his plan, Mr Street has produced a Tube-style map showing all of the new lines, stops and services.
Under the plans, The Sutton Park line will reopen, creating new stations at Aldridge, Streetly, Reddicap Heath, and Walmley – before joining up with Castle Bromwich, to go through a station at the Fort Parkway to arrive at the new Moore Street HS2 station.
The last time the park line was used for passengers was in 1965.
The new Lee Woods Metro line will create Metro stops at Boldmere and Kingstanding before progressing through Perry Barr and Newtown to the new station at Moor Street.
And there will be a new Metro line, running from Minworth through Pype Hayes, Birches Green and Aston, also arriving at the city centre at the Moore Street HS2 station.