Call for rail project to use direct line to city

The current plan would see passengers travel to Walsall before transferring onto another train to reach the city centre

A councillor has called for a delayed railway station project to change its plans and reopen a direct train line to Birmingham.

The existing proposal for the station in Aldridge includes trains running through to Walsall, where passengers can transfer onto another train into the city.

Tim Huxtable proposed that the freight-only Sutton Park line be reopened to take passengers straight to the city centre, with new stations being created along the way.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said Huxtable's proposition would be considered by the necessary authorities once he had put it in writing.

Huxtable, speaking at a West Midlands Combined Authority overview and scrutiny committee meeting, said reopening the line would support major new housing developments in Langley and Castle Bromwich.

He had previously put forward the idea at a board meeting in July, but questioned again why the line was only planned to run between Aldridge and Walsall.

The reopening of the freight-only line would help to "connect new housing, new economic growth and new regeneration", Huxtable added.

Mayor 'disingenuous' over funding

Parker agreed to look into the "viability and any case for delivery" of his proposal, but said it was a "very different proposition" to the original plans.

The project is currently on hold after it was delayed indefinitely in July until the full funding becomes available.

Parker commissioned Arup to carry out a review into the issues and a report found only £3.6m of the £30m required for the project had been secured.

Conservative MP Wendy Morton said Parker was being "disingenuous" about the station issue.

She added that former mayor Andy Street had secured the £30m to deliver the scheme by 2027.

The mayor said he and the combined authority remained committed to the original project, but added the plans still needed to go through the business case and show value for money.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.