Update on Camp Hill railway line study

Consultants have now started work on investigating the possibility of re-opening the Camp Hill railway line for passenger services - this would enable railways stations to be re-opened at Stirchley, Kings Heath, Moseley and Balsall Heath.

The consultants are jointly funded by Centro and the City Council.

An interim report by the consultants will be present to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority in September with a final report expected in December.

The consultants will look at :
a) creating two railway links at Camp Hill so that the railway line connects directly into Moor Street station.
b) potential locations for new stations
c) the economic benefits of re-opening the line to passenger services

This study is a pre-requisite for any bid to the Government for funds to re-open this line for passenger services.

The railways stations at Cartland Road, Kings Heath, Moseley and Brighton Road were closed in 1941 and never re-opened.

The Camp Hill line is presently used to carry freight and the Virgin trains from New Street station to Bristol.

The creation of the two railways links at Camp Hill would benefit the city as a whole since it would enable passenger services to be moved from New Street station into Moor Station thus easing the already over crowded New Street Station.

The cost of the links is estimated to be £40-£50million per link. The cost of each new station would be approximately £10million. Councillor Mullaney has already asked Highway Engineers to investigate the possibility of widening the railway bridge on Kings Heath High Street to road traffic allow a bus-rail interchange here - cost is estimated to be approx £10million to widened the bridge.