00:00Rail capacity has long been a pressure point for Birmingham, with crowded stations and
00:05busy routes shaping daily journeys locally. Now a public consultation has opened on the
00:11Midlands Rail Hub, a railway programme valued at £1.7 billion. The plan focuses on major
00:19upgrades between Bordesley and Birmingham Moor Street, including two new rail links known
00:25as Cords. Network Rail says the work would help more trains reach Moor Street from Wales, the South West
00:31and the East Midlands. Under the proposals, Moor Street would gain 14.2 million extra seats,
00:38while new streets would gain 5.4 million. The scheme includes three more trains an hour across
00:45towns and cities south west of Birmingham, reinstated cross city line services and four
00:52more trains towards the East Midlands. Supporters say the hub could bring faster and more frequent
00:57journeys, help regeneration and support new homes and economic growth. Denise Whetton from Network Rail
01:05says it would change Birmingham's rail landscape and bring benefits across the city, the region and
01:11indeed the whole of Britain. The project would also involve further engineering works on routes
01:16across the wider region. People have been asked to comment before detailed designs are approved.
01:21For passengers, businesses and communities across the region, no decision has been made and responses
01:26will help shape the next stage of the project.
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