Action is needed in order to tackle the critical problem of rail congestion and lack of capacity on the West Midlands rail network. Further investment in our rail services is integral to ensuring that the West Midlands - and the national rail network - does not become even more congested. Rail is a crucial part of the solution to tackling the congestion that costs the West Midlands £2.2 billion a year.

Centro has published its Regional Rail Strategy for consultation which covers network-wide issues such as reliability and access, as well as the development of services, facilities, and other infrastructure on a detailed line by line and station by station basis – essentially giving the detail needed to build into funding bids, and developmental work with partners and building on the work produced in the Route Utilisation Strategy and RPA. It covers the Metropolitan and surrounding Shire Counties to take in the complete journey to work area. We are consulting widely on its contents.

In January 2006 the DfT confirmed the need for a review of rail capacity in Birmingham and the West Midlands. A rail industry team led by Network Rail, comprising Central Trains (who were replaced as franchise-holders by Govia London Midland in November 2007) , Centro, DfT and Virgin Trains undertook this work and support its findings.

Dft published the capacity review in July 2006. It confirmed the compatibility of rail capacity requirements with the New Street Gateway proposals, and stated that significant growth of 120% on the network could be accommodated on the regional network by lengthening trains and improving signalling.

It also confirmed that whilst growth of 100% could be accommodated for long distance services, after 2025 further infrastructure capacity will be needed to cater for growth, especially for New Street to Euston services. Planning for growth after 2025 for the West Midlands will form part of a national plan.

The Government announced its Rail White Paper "Delivering a Sustainable Railway" and also the High Level Output Specification (HLOS) in 2007. They provide the future framework for the development of the West Midlands rail network and Centro is working closely with the rail industry to develop funding proposals. Increasing freight as well as passenger services will be important.

An example of a scheme we feel brings benefits to both the region and the national network is that to re-open the Camp Hill Line in Birmingham to passenger services between Kings Norton and Bordesley and provide a connection into Birmingham Moor Street via a new 'chord' at Bordesley.

This frees up train capacity in New Street Station itself as well as providing more services direct into Birmingham City centre. We feel this provides excellent value for money at £177 million.

Centro successfully fought to keep the threatened rail service between Walsall and Wolverhampton.

It was included by the Government in the new West Midlands franchise taken on by Govia London Midland in November 2007.