Aldridge station proposals have 'been pushed into the sidings', claims MP

The Conservatives have challenged Richard Parker, the elected mayor for the West Midlands, to unveil his plans for rail services in the region, accusing him of failing to outline his ambitions.

Aldridge-Brownhills MP Wendy Morton accused him of pushing plans to re-open Aldridge railway station ‘into the sidings’, while Sutton Coldfield MP Sir Andrew Mitchell voiced disappointment that talk about reopening the Sutton Park line to Birmingham had gone quiet.

Last week marked the opening of five railway stations in the West Midlands, including ones at Willenhall and Darlaston, and three on the Camp Hill line at Moseley Village, Kings Heath, and Pineapple Road.

The Tories say funding for all of these was secured as a result of a 20-year transport plan put forward by former mayor Sir Andy Street, and called on his successor to draw up a similar plan.

But a spokesman for Mr Parker said the mayor had drawn up a plan that was ‘realistic and deliverable’, and said he was focused on providing changes that people can see rather than ‘plans which go nowhere’.

Mrs Morton said that when he was in office, Sir Andy had committed to reopening the station at Aldridge by 2027, but there was no indication that this was any closer to happening.

“Andy Street committed to deliver this by 2027 and secured the funding, but under Mayor Parker the project has been pushed into the sidings,” she said.

“The question remains ,will Mayor Parker now commit fully to delivering Aldridge Station? Residents can rest assured, I will continue to raise this matter, including in Parliament."

Sir Andrew Mitchell said the former mayor delivered a clear economic vision and a transport plan that was being steadily implemented through rail, tram and rapid bus services.

”That direction now appears to be lacking, and discussion around investment in the Sutton Park line has fallen away. We need to start talking again about reopening the Sutton Park line, connecting Aldridge directly to Birmingham city centre via Sutton."

A spokesman for Mr Parker said it was untrue to say that plans to reopen Aldridge station had been cancelled as it had never been started, and said Mrs Morton said she had discussed ‘proposals’ with officers as recently as December.

He said Mr Parker had secured the biggest funding settlement the region had seen, bringing in £2.4 billion from central government, including transport.

He said Sir Andy’s 20-year vision was nothing more than a political pledge which had never been put to the combined authority board.

“These are the last gasps of a Tory party that now admits it failed to deliver for the West Midlands,” he said.

“Every promise they’ve listed sat on a shelf for eight years under a Conservative mayor. It’s an unusual political strategy to list all the things that they failed to deliver in power.“

He said the present mayor inherited a £120 million black hole in the finances, with transport schemes running late and over budget, and a bus network in decline.

“He got a grip of the finances, restored discipline and got delivery moving again,” said the mayor’s spokesman.

“His focus is simple, get things done. Not announcements, not plans that go nowhere, but real change people can see.

“That includes getting the Camp Hill line back on track so that trains returned after more than 80 years.

“And this isn’t short-term. Under the Rosewell Review, the mayor has set out a long-term plan that is practical, deliverable and rooted in the region’s economic strengths.”