West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says a massive proposal for up to £1.5 billion of new and improved rail infrastructure could be the key to see a new station built in Walmley.
Mr Street says the plans for the West Midlands Rail Hub would provide the capacity needed to make his ambition of reopening the Sutton Park Line for passengers become a reality.
He told Walmley Pages: “Part of my transport plan for the region is to create another cross-city line for Birmingham, by reopening the Sutton Park route and connecting it, via Castle Bromwich to the city centre.
“This Could see a new station built at Walmley, as well as in Streetly and Sutton town centre. The Midlands Rail Hub plans are vital to making this happen – and we are now in talks to secure funding.”
The Midlands Rail Hub plans, announced by Midlands Connect, outlines up to £1.5 billion of new and improved infrastructure, to be completed between 2025-2030.
The plans make space for over a hundred additional trains on the region’s network every day to locations like Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Nuneaton, Worcester, Hereford, Great Malvern, Bristol, Gloucester, Cardiff, Cheltenhamand Leicester.
But Mr Street said it would also be the key to reconnecting Walmley to the rail network.
He said: “The Midlands Rail Hub will also enable a raft of local improvements including restoration of the full six train per hour service on Birmingham’s Cross City Line, faster journeys into Birmingham from the new Camp Hill line stations at Moseley Village, Kings Heath, and Pineapple Road.
“And crucially, Midlands Rail Hub provides the additional rail network capacity that will be required to support further expansion of the regional rail network on routes such as the Sutton Park Line, with new stations in places like Walmley.”
“When the West Midlands succeeds, the country succeeds, and the sooner Government enables us to start delivering this project the sooner our local residents will experience the benefits to come.”
Walmley’s original station, called Penns station, was opened in 1879 but closed in 1965. It was demolished the next year as part of the Beeching Cuts, which had also resulted in all stations on the same line being closed. Since then, the line has only carried freight trains.