Commuters in a rapidly expanding area of Solihull could get more frequent train services to and from Birmingham city centre, as part of a new rail franchise agreement for the West Midlands.

The Department for Transport has published details for consultation and asked train companies bidding to run West Midlands services to look at the feasibility of extending services from Shirley to Whitlocks End.

It means that local residents could see the number of services increase by up to 300 per cent.

At present, only trains travelling to and from Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon stop at Whitlocks End - as little as one service an hour. The majority of trains (up to three an hour) using the line terminate less than a mile before at Shirley.

“The document shows an understanding of the importance of rail services to residents of Solihull, and plans for the rapidly increasing growth of local estates such as Dickens Heath,” says Cllr Gary Clarke, Chairman of Centro-PTA.

“It makes sense to continue the service on to Whitlocks End and provide a better service for the nearby residents, especially since the free park and ride facility at the station has just been increased.”

In order to provide the extended train services a new set of points would need to be built and the funding for that needs to be found separately from the new rail franchise.  However Centro-PTA says that DfT recognition of the desirability of running trains through the Whitlocks End is certainly a step in the right direction. 

“One in five commuters to Birmingham travel by train and we hope they can look forward to better services in the years to come,” concludes Cllr Clarke.