Seven key transport projects get £50m boost from WMCA
Advance funding of around £50m will be used to speed-up high priority transport projects in the West Midlands, after being signed off by the combined authority.
Flagship schemes such as a proposed extension to the Midlands Metro tram line towards the planned new sports quarter, and upgrades to two railway stations near Villa Park are included in the priority package, which will receive early development funding as part of a £2.4bn funding package from central government aimed at improving regional transport networks.
The upgrades to Witton and Aston stations were announced last year, aimed at improving capacity at the two stations closest to Villa Park stadium in time for the Euro 2028 football tournament, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
- READ MORE: Urgent Euro 2028 upgrade plan for stations
The £50m will allow development work to be completed on a total of seven transport initiatives which have been identified as urgent and critical, also set to include the Coventry Very Light Rail project and two further projects linked to the HS2 scheme.
According to a report put before WMCA’s board last week, the funding will be used to allow “critical development activity” to be commissioned for these projects which the authority says will help to maintain project schedules where the delivery timescales are tight, such as for Sports Quarter and the rail station improvements.
The full list of schemes benefiting from development funding are:
- Multi-modal Access to HS2 Enhancement – A scheme to improve active travel links aroundHS2 Interchange Station, Birmingham Airport, and NEC area
- West Coast Mainline & M42 Links to HS2
- UK Central – An international logistics gateway project
- Coventry Very Light Rail Vehicle Development Package
- Coventry Very Light Rail Universal Slab Track Test Pilot
- Metro Renewals Programme
- East Bham Sports Quarter Metro/Rail
- Witton and Aston Stations Project
The full cost of building these schemes is expected to top £770m.
A decision to bring forward the funding came in the wake of a detailed review of the region’s transport schemes intended to prioritise more than 150 schemes vying for funding from the government-backed Transport for City Regions fund, worth around £2.4bn.
The Rosewell Review made over 20 recommendations on how decision-making relating to transport projects could be improved, including the development of 10-25 year investment plans for transport, with the combined authority says is now integrating into its plans.
The review placed 14 projects worth £1.5bn in the “Urgent and Most Deliverable” category, but said 77 of the total 161 projects were still on the drawing board at “conceptual” stage.
A full list of recommendations can be found in the Rosewell report, heard by the WMCA Board last week.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Fans deserve a modern, reliable and affordable public transport to get them to and from their stadium on matchdays – so we have made these projects a priority and provided the funding to get them started straight away.
“This funding means we can complete essential design and survey work at an earlier stage and be ready to get spades in the ground next year.
“Together we are building a new transport network to fuel the economy, secure investment and bring the new homes and jobs local people need.”
