The Bromsgrove announcement follows on from news that Councillor Len Gregory, Cabinet Member for Transportation and Street Services on Birmingham City Council [2], is to fund a feasibility study into the construction of a connecting section of railway in the Bordesley area, which would allow a passenger service for areas such as Kings Heath [3]. This is effectively a new route and if adopted would give passenger train services to benefit a huge area of South Birmingham and a connection to Bromsgrove.
The timing seems to be just right to put passengers on the Camp Hill Line, but connected to Moor Street Station. The new line at Bordesley might require some diversion of the canal, last rebuilt to suit a road project. Elsewhere, basic stations to suit a frequent passenger service are envisaged. The icing on the cake is, however, the fact that the area is already being furnished with a new signalling system and the Bordesley Chord, the new link, can be included at almost no extra cost.
Campaign group Birmingham Friends of the Earth has consistently sought improvements to local rail services to be integral to the Local Transport Plan arguing that the best public transport should be within walking distance of homes and facilities.
John Hall from Birmingham Friends of the Earth said
“The idea of a local railway station in areas such as King’s Heath is very attractive. Birmingham simply does not have enough local trains and the services that have been improved, by Centro, have been great sucesses.
The Government and Birmingham must not only talk the talk of tackling climate change, but its time they implemented real measures to finally reduce the need to travel; building or widening roads will only encourage more cars.”
Editors Notes:
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Link to Network Rail Press Release
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2617&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=6
Link to Birmingham City Council press release
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http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=86595&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276
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A map of the proposed link rail is pasted below.
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For more information on Friends of the Earth Transport campaigns
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/transport/issues/road_building/index.html
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West Midlands Transport Plan
