Worcester residents and commuters are poised to benefit from a significant increase in rail services, with plans for 140 extra trains a week under the Midlands Rail Hub project.
Worcester MP, Tom Collins, met with Midlands Connect and rail industry leaders to discuss how the scheme would deliver a “massive transport boost” to the city. The proposals outline the addition of two extra trains per hour in each direction, one running from Worcester Foregate Street to Birmingham, and the other from Worcestershire Parkway to Birmingham.
This expansion will provide approximately 4 million additional seats annually, a substantial improvement for commuters, businesses, and residents alike. The meeting, held in Worcester, was attended by representatives from Network Rail, the West Midlands Rail Executive, and Dr Scott Andrews, Vice President of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and Head of the University of Worcester’s Business School.
The Midlands Rail Hub, which will also enhance services at Worcestershire Parkway, is expected to generate over 12,750 jobs during its construction phase, scheduled from 2025 to 2033.
The project has garnered cross-party support, with Labour MPs including Dave Robertson (Lichfield), Laurence Turner (Birmingham Northfield), Al Carns (Selly Oak), Paulette Hamilton (Erdington), and Preet Kaur Gill (University) all voicing their backing for the improvements.
“Getting Worcester’s transport working and making it easy for people to travel around the country are really important to me – and rail is absolutely central to getting this right,” said Tom Collins MP. “It was really good to welcome the Midlands Connect team to Worcester and celebrate our improved services. There’s still much more to do and I’m working to further develop our rail connections within the city and down to Oxford and London.”
Dr Scott Andrews highlighted the economic benefits, stating, “This represents exciting opportunities for businesses across the region looking to attract and retain talent as well as providing greater access for more than 10,000 students who travel to the City each week.”
Paul Butters, Director of Communications at Midlands Connect, emphasised the project’s importance, saying, “Delivering faster and more frequent trains to Worcester would make a massive difference and we are working hard to deliver it. I look forward to working with Tom in the months and years ahead to deliver this vital scheme for the region.”
The government has previously committed to the “full” delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub, with an additional £123 million allocated in February to progress detailed engineering designs.
