West Midlands Strategy
BRTA’s vision for the future of rail in the West Midlands
ORBITAL vs RADIAL
We like to keep an eye on the big picture. It’s our view that a general pattern of rail re-openings forming orbital links would unleash great potential across the nations. Parkway stations for London, Birmingham and Manchester would avoid clustering and congestion on core radial main lines.
MISSING MIDLANDS LINKS
We strongly support the reinstatement of the Stratford-upon-Avon to Long Marston line to form a second Oxford – Birmingham route.
A south to west curve on to the Cotswold Line would bring Evesham and Worcester into better reach of eastern Birmingham. The short but mighty link would be useful for freight by rail and it would serve growing communities and positively impact commuting patterns.
We’re working with our partners at Stratford Rail Transport Group (SRTG) to amplify this campaign. For more, go to the S2HB page.
A NEW WAY TO BIRMINGHAM
We’re campaigning to rebuild a new Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham rail link via Honeybourne.
Lickey Incline, just south of Birmingham, is inadequate for long, heavy freight trains. Apart from more road-use, currently it is all there is from the South West. Stratford – Cheltenham would give more rail capacity over gentler gradients enabling more by rail, spread and scope.
The scheme needs studying and cross-agency and cross-county border working to find solutions. Too many places are taking insular and parochial outlooks. We’re hoping to inspire and inform a nationwide and regional vision starting at the grassroots.
FORMER GREAT CENTRAL LINKS
Rugby – Leicester needs a new-build rail link serving the growth area of Lutterworth and, importantly, Magna Park, one of the biggest industrial parks in Europe without rail access. Strong potential is there. Without it, rail and road traffic is focussed in and out of Birmingham, causing congestion issues. The extended capacity is needed desperately to unlock economic growth, simply by restoring some missing gaps in the network.
We go into greater detail about the former Great Central Railway London Corridor here.
WESTERN BIRMINGHAM ORBITAL
An opportunity exists at Bridgnorth – Buildwas – Shrewsbury where some rail reinstatement and ‘new-build’ could form a western flank of a Birmingham orbital route.
If the line could be recovered, a continuation would logically use the Severn Valley Railway route onwards to Kidderminster, where an arrangement for pathing alongside heritage operations could be made.
BIRMINGHAM BYPASS?
Our proposal for a rebuilt Gloucester – Ross-on-Wye – Hereford line, as a through route, would enable an important Southampton-Merseyside freight corridor and bypass Birmingham lines altogether. It would dramatically increase rail capacity in several regions and return passenger services to a large under-served area.
HOW TO ADD YOUR VOICE
Write in support of reopening to your local councillors and MP:
members.parliament.uk/members/commons
or www.writetothem.com
It’s powerful to write to your MP or councillor in your own words, telling your representative about your own beliefs and experiences and how they relate to this area. See below.
Join BRTA as a member to support these and other reopening campaigns
Volunteer with BRTA if you share our vision and want to help bring it about.
Could you help push this campaign forward?
Donate to BRTA to help us advocate for a rail link fit for the 21st century!
Think about the following questions when composing your letter to MPs / councillors:
- What journeys do you make? Work? Leisure? Appointments / visits?
How could this link improve the journeys you make? - Do you actively choose road over rail or bus? Why?
- Do you consider where you live to be well served by public transport?
- Do you have experience of new areas of housing and public transport?
- What are your experiences of the road journeys you make in the region?
- Have you made employment, school or relocation decisions based on journey times or access to public transport? Or on the lack of access to public transport?
- What are your thoughts on the environmental impact of your journeys?
- Do you have accessibility needs that affect journey decisions you make?
- What do you think about air pollution in your area?
- What are the most important transport related issues to you? Why? Journey times? Road congestion reduction? Pollution reduction? Accessibility? Taking freight off the roads in your area? A better connected region?
- What should be done next to make this happen?
Our tips: - Even if your MP is not in this region, your letter provides them with an opportunity to learn about the issue and take action themselves.
- Aim for your letter to be no longer than one and a half sides of A4.
- Engage. Get your representative’s attention with a dramatic fact or short statement.
- State the problem. Present the causes of the problem you just introduced. How widespread or serious is the problem?
- Inform them about the solutions that reopening would bring.
- Call to Action. Let them know what you want them to do about it.
- Ask for a response.