The Midlands Rail Hub programme could yield almost 13,000 new roles, according to recent analysis.
The Hub is the region’s biggest and most ambitious rail improvement scheme, which will serve more than 50 stations – covering seven million people across the region, with work expected to run from next year until 2033.
A series of engineering interventions throughout the region will make space for scores of additional trains on the network every day.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “Our rail services are hugely overcrowded and in order to get more people on the network we need to provide more trains for them.
“The Midlands Rail Hub will better connect Birmingham and the West Midlands to Bristol, Cardiff, Leicester, Derby and Nottingham with more frequent and reliable services.
“But it’s also creating thousands of jobs and apprenticeships through the design and construction phase and beyond – investing in our transport network means investing in the people of our region.”
The majority of the job roles predicted for the project are skilled occupations in engineering or project management. More than 300 apprentices are expected to be recruited and trained during the programme.
Economically, over the course of the project, Midlands Rail Hub could generate an additional £240m in economic value throughout the supply chain. And a further £45m uplift is expected in social value benefits, thanks to enhanced skills and knowledge and sustained employment.
Maria Machancoses, CEO, Midlands Connect, said: “This project is so much more than just a rail scheme, it will create high skilled jobs, grow our economy and kick start careers, thanks to hundreds of apprenticeships.
“The scale of the transformational impact goes even further. Once delivered, Midlands Rail Hub will transform train travel in region for generations to come, connecting our communities and offering a greener way of travelling.”
Last year, Government committed to ‘full’ delivery of Midlands Rail Hub, and in February this year, an additional £123m was allocated towards the project, to progress the detailed engineering designs.
