Our response to the Midlands Rail Hub consultation

We are Better Streets for Birmingham CIC. We exist to:

• Promote walking, wheeling and cycling, and road safety in Birmingham and the wider region through community engagement and education
• Engage with authorities to make recommendations on new schemes, and the design of schemes, to improve the transport network in Birmingham and the wider region

As set out in Birmingham’s Road Harm Reduction Strategy, road safety can be drastically improved by reducing the number of vehicles and vehicle movements on our city’s streets.

This is achieved through reliable alternatives, for example higher frequency rail services, which as described in the West Midlands Rail Investment Strategy 2050, in Birmingham’s case, requires much greater rail network capacity and flexibility.

The plans are at an early and formative stage. As we have stated in our widely-reported public statement, we are very supportive of the project, however, have serious concerns about the proposed footprint of the additional viaduct and access roads.

We are also concerned that the quality of the architecture is worse than previously circulated renders as part of press releases from WMCA, WMRE and Network Rail.

The plans in their current form would result in significant loss of adjacent properties - particularly The Warehouse on Allison Street which is a significant community asset and hub for climate justice, as well as food and cultural venues. We believe that much of this loss could be avoided through engineering solutions.

Where loss is unavoidable, we want to see a solution worked through in collaboration with impacted businesses, in terms of sensitive relocation, possibly underneath the new infrastructure, and should no other option be available, compensation packages.

We understand that Birmingham Friends of the Earth have been in dialogue with the project team to explore alternative solutions to achieve the scheme's aims, and would encourage this conversation to continue.

We endorse detailed counter-proposals from Railfuture’s West Midlands Branch, particularly:

• platform transfers being facilitated in the poorly-used undercroft instead of the proposed footbridge
• better integration with the local area: walking and cycling routes through the area, HS2 Curzon Street via Park Street and Paternoster Place, and onward local buses and the Meriden Street tram stop

We expect the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance to continuously engage with the community, particularly impacted stakeholders, as the project progresses over the coming years. Likewise we encourage those potentially impacted to work with the project, given the wider and extensive benefits.

We look forward to engaging as the project progresses.