THE FORMER leader of Redditch Borough Council has hit out at both Reform UK and Labour for ‘failing the town on rail infrastructure’.
Councillor Matt Dormer (Con, Webheath and Callow Hill), has criticised Worcestershire County Council for not prioritising plans for a new railway station.
The plans, drawn up under the previous Conservative administration at County Hall, were intended prepare Redditch for future demand on the Cross-City Line.
Coun Dormer said: “This is a failure of leadership at every level.
“Bromsgrove got a new station. Wyre Forest got a new station. Redditch? Once again, overlooked and ignored.
“Redditch doesn’t need empty promises.
“We need practical, deliverable infrastructure that serves our residents – not cuts, cancellations, and silence.”
However the Reform-led County Council refuted Coun Domer’s claims. Coun Karl Perks, cabinet member for highways and transport said: “As part of the budget planning process we are reviewing areas of borrowing.
“While the intention is to restore the three trains per hour between Birmingham and Redditch, this is delayed due to capacity issues at Kings Norton station.
“West Midlands Trains and West Midlands Rail Executive are working on a solution, but no timetable is confirmed.
“Redditch station and its infrastructure can support the full three trains per hour, so service reinstatement isn’t dependent on station redevelopment.”
But Coun Dormer has received backing from an unexpected source – Redditch Labour MP Chris Bloore who said the uncertainty around the station redevelopment is ‘deeply concerning’.
“It is the busiest station in our a area, outperforming footfall in Bromsgrove and even Longbridge,” he said.
“While boosting frequency through the Midlands Rail Hub is vital, abandoning the station development directly conflicts with those improvements and would undermine our town’s economic future.
“Reports that Reform-led Worcestershire County Council may scrap this project undervalues this vital community asset and betrays a lack of vision – hiding behind a 2600million debt crisis born of Conservative mismanagement.
“I urge the County Council to protect this scheme and work with the Borough Council to ensure Redditch benefits.”
