Major step forward as Midlands Rail Hub Alliance confirmed

Network Rail today (18 Dec) confirmed Laing O’Rourke as one of four partners within the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance. This marks a huge step forward for the most transformative railway upgrade in the Midlands.

Working alongside Network Rail, Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail, AtkinsRéalis and Siemens Mobility will design and develop plans and support the build phase needed to transform passenger journeys and better connect people with opportunities, jobs, and new housing.

The £1.75bn project if delivered in full, will improve journeys across Birmingham and the West Midlands. The plans include changing how the city's three main stations - New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill - are served by train services from across the region and beyond, significantly improving connectivity for millions of passengers.

Group Commercial Director and Europe Hub Clients & Markets Director, John O’Connor, said: “The transformation of the rail network across Birmingham is another step closer. The planned improvements will better connect communities and boost the region’s economy, with the alliance partners working with local communities to create sustainable employment and supply chain opportunities right from the outset.

“The alliance is a proven partnership that works. Laing O’Rourke has worked collaboratively alongside our alliance partners VolkerRail, AtkinsRéalis and Network Rail for a decade, most recently in the successful delivery of East West Rail Phase 2. We look forward to bringing our extensive rail experience to the project, and to working closely with Siemens Mobility - designing and developing plans that will drive progress on the Midlands Rail Hub project.”

The Midlands Rail Hub Alliance - working with the sponsoring partner team of Network Rail, West Midlands Rail Executive, Department for Transport, and Midlands Connect - will plan timescales for the development of Midlands Rail Hub, with early passenger benefits expected to be realised by the early 2030s.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “The Midlands Rail Hub will be transformational for millions of people across the country by improving capacity across the network, allowing more services and better reliability.”

Denise Wetton, Network Rail's Central route director, added: "We want the huge improvements this major investment and upgrade will unlock – including access to opportunities, more jobs, economic growth, and new houses - to benefit people, communities, and businesses as soon as possible.

“Confirming the Midlands Rail Hub alliance partners means this vital regional and national project can really start to move forward and we are focusing hard to start work on this transformative project as quickly as possible."