A £1.75 billion rail overhaul will add 20 million seats to routes across the Midlands, with Birmingham Moor Street and New Street among the biggest beneficiaries. But will it deliver the long-term change promised?
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00:00It's one of the most ambitious rail overhauls the Midlands has seen in decades and Birmingham is right at the centre.
00:07The Midlands Rail Hub will deliver 300 trains and 20 million extra seats.
00:13Aimed at unclogging overcrowded services and boosting regional growth, it's being framed as a game changer.
00:20Birmingham Moor Street alone is set to gain over 14 million seats.
00:24New streets add 5.4 million and the Cross City Line, which many commuters rely on daily, will see two extra services an hour, with upgrades stretching out to Redditch, Bromsgrove, Litchfield and beyond.
00:38Midlands Connect, the organisation behind the scheme, says this isn't just about comfort, it's about connecting people to work, education and opportunity.
00:47The project will include two key routes, the west and east cords.
00:53These will make it easier for services from Wales and the East Midlands to access Birmingham Moor Street directly.
00:59Currently, they're funneled into New Street or bypass the city centre entirely.
01:04Engineers will also widen the Bordesley Viaduct, remodel Water Orton and upgrade platforms at several stations, including Snow Hill and Kings Norton.
01:14While the headlines talk about seats, the subtext is jobs.
01:18Infrastructure schemes like this generate short-term construction employment and, if delivered properly, long-term economic resilience.
01:27But it won't be quick.
01:29The work will unfold over several years and with a price tag of £1.75 billion, scrutiny over costs and disruption is inevitable.
01:38So, while it all sounds promising on Piper, the question is whether it will deliver on the ground.
01:43So, while it all sounds promising on Piper, the question is whether it will deliver on the ground.