Two new railway stations being built in Walsall with £80million investment may miss out town centre

It has emerged services stopping off at Willenhall and Darlaston, currently being built and expected to open in early 2026, could miss out Walsall’s main station in the Saddlers Centre.

At a West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Investment Board meeting, Walsall Council leader Mike Bird said he had been told Walsall would not be included on the routes.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and Walsall Council have jointly written to the Government to put forward the case for services from the new stations to include the town.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport no decision had been made on the timetables for Willenhall and Darlaston at this stage and options were currently being worked on.

One option could see Willenhall And Darlaston included on the existing service from Shrewsbury to Birmingham New Street, which goes via Wolverhampton

The new Willenhall and Darlaston Stations are being built by Transport for West Midlands, in partnership with West Midlands Rail Executive, Network Rail, West Midlands Railway and Walsall Council.

The aim is to improve transport links in the areas and support major regeneration developments currently taking place there.

Walsall Council is also working to enhance the town centre railway station and improve access to it through it’s Connected Gateway project.

Once completed and open, the new stations will bring railway services back to Willenhall and Darlaston for the first time since 1965.

The project has been hit with delays and soaring costs over the past few years and is now expected to cost approximately £85 million.

At the Investment Board meeting, Councillor Bird said: “We’ve just spent millions and millions of pounds building two stations in Willenhall and Darlaston and we were told ‘by the way, the trains are not coming into Walsall anymore’.

“To be told ‘we’ve done the station but we’re not going to put the train into Walsall any more’ – thanks very much. How stupid is that?”

A West Midlands Rail Executive spokesperson said: “There are clear proposals to introduce a second train service that has a direct connection to Walsall Railway Station.

“The Mayor and Walsall Council have jointly written to Government asking for this service to be introduced. We are working together to get these proposals delivered.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “No decisions have been made on timetables for Willenhall and Darlaston.

“We’re working closely with West Midlands Trains, the West Midlands Rail Executive and other stakeholders to maximise connections for customers at the new stations.”