‘Urgent’ Euro 2028 upgrade plan for stations
Plans to upgrade two “frequently overcrowded” Birmingham railway stations ahead of a major international football tournament could run to £25m.
The West Midlands Combined Authority is due to set its budget for upgrades to stations at Witton and Aston, which serve Aston Villa’s stadium at Villa Park, at a board meeting tomorrow.
Both stations suffer from major congestion, with around 8,000 fans and visitors crowding onto the narrow platforms on a matchday, and early plans to improve facilities at the “poorly lit and unwelcoming” transport hubs were first unveiled in December 2023.
Now, the WMCA is set to allocate a pot of money from a £2.4bn government-backed City Transport Region fund to get improvements in place ahead of the Euro2028 men’s football tournament, where Villa Park will play host to at least four fixtures.
The upgrade is planned to take place over two phases, with early work aimed at reducing congestion at the two stations, while a later phase will provide “aspirational long-term improvements” which the WMCA believes have the potential to unlock wider growth and regeneration opportunities in the area.
The move is partly linked to the football club’s plans to expand the capacity of its stadium to over 50,000 people, also an expectation of tournament hosts UEFA ahead of Euro 2028.
Two schemes to expand Villa Park by around 8,000 seats have now been approved by Birmingham City Council, including a significant rebuild of the club’s North Stand which got the go-ahead in August.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Fans have waited long enough. Queues and congestion after matches have been a real frustration, and this funding will deliver the action I promised.
“Villa is a club on the up, on and off the pitch, and their ambition should be matched by our local transport facilities, making a day out at Villa Park a pleasure from start to finish.
“Better public transport will also encourage investment in new homes, jobs and other opportunities for the local community, with the benefits felt far beyond just matchdays.”
An outline business case and updated designs for the stations will be brought forward in June 2026.
