West Midlands Mayor elect Andy Street has today said that he backs a call to add Longbridge to a new £40m rail route which will run across South Birmingham from New Street.
The revival of the Camp Hill line will see stations reopened in Moseley, Kings Heath and Stirchley (Hazelwell).
However, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Birmingham Northfield, Gary Sambrook has asked Mr Street to champion the idea of ending the line at Longbridge, connecting travellers to Cross City services.
Mr Street said: “I think what Gary Sambrook proposes is an exciting idea that would really transform rail services in this part of South Birmingham and I will certainly be looking seriously at how this might be delivered.”
Mr Sambrook believes the project would drastically improve public transport for the people of Birmingham Northfield.
He said: “Andy Street has done a fantastic job in getting funding in place to reopen the Camp Hill line and following a £15m funding boost from the Department for Transport, we are closer than ever to seeing the line fully operational for commuters.
“With the decision still to be made on where the line will terminate, I have written to Andy Street to ask for the line to terminate at Longbridge.
“This would benefit our area in many ways: More services will be stopping at Kings Norton, Northfield, and Longridge, with more capacity for people commuting into and out of the city centre.”
Mr Sambrook said that the move would mean improved conditions on the often overcrowded cross city line, as well as reducing congestion and pollution in the area.
Mr Street added: “Gary Sambrook’s campaign is a great example of how our plans to re-open Moseley, Kings Heath and Stirchley stations along the Camp Hill line could deliver new services not just to those communities, but also into Kings Norton, Northfield and Longbridge.
“After decades of underinvestment and decline our rail network is being turned around with use increasing and genuine progress on opening up new stations and providing extra services – I know Gary will be tenacious in continuing to champion Kings Norton, Northfield and Longbridge being a big part of this railway revival.”
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