AN INCREASE in rail services for Bromsgrove and Redditch is on the horizon thanks to the delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub.
Central government funding, re-allocated as a result of changes to HS2, means there will soon be three trains per hour on the Redditch Cross City service.
The additional services form part of a £123 million funding boost announced by the government and also include an extra train every hour between Bromsgrove and Birmingham and Birmingham and Cardiff, via Worcestershire Parkway.
Councillor Marc Bayliss, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills, said: “This is fantastic news for our county and will allow the Midlands Rail Hub project to really push forward.
“The project is an important one and will bring benefits to the county, with improved services in Worcester, Bromsgrove and Redditch.
“We recognise the importance of rail travel, and the announcement of this funding is another step towards improving services for our residents, businesses and those visiting our county.”
The aim of the Midlands Rail Hub is to improve rail connectivity and boost economic growth across the Midlands and towards the south-west through a series of projects.
The investment is part of the government’s Network North Transport Plan, which committed £1.75 billion to deliver the Midlands Rail Hub in full.
Subject to future decisions, this first phase of the Rail Hub could be completed by the early 2030s.
Worcestershire County Council has also recently introduced a new rail strategy, to improve services across the county.
The ambitious plan includes more frequent trains to London, greater country-wide connectivity, introduction of a fast Worcestershire to Bristol service, Worcester Shrub Hill and Redditch masterplans implementation, Worcester area signalling modernisation and ongoing development of station accessibility including parking.
Visit http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/wris for more information.
