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Published: Wednesday 07 July 2023

New analysis from Midlands Connect shows the train will be faster than the car for journeys from Hereford to Birmingham once Midlands Rail Hub is delivered.
Rail plans to make Hereford to Birmingham quicker by train
  • Herefordshire journeys could be quicker by train than by car if plans enacted
  • County a ‘big winner’ from Midlands Rail Hub
  • Local leaders support rail improvement plans, which will double the frequency of trains to Birmingham

The data, from TomTom satnavs shows driving from Hereford to Birmingham takes on average an hour and twenty minutes. By delivering the Midlands Rail Hub the journey on the train will be cut from 85 minutes to just 72 minutes.

When there are significant delays to the roads, driving at peak times can take up to twice as long as the typical journey, and considerably longer than the equivalent rail journey after improvements.

This, Midlands Connect believes will ‘substantially’ increase rail usage from just 13% of people using the train to get between Birmingham and Hereford. These new figures come after Midlands Connect visited Hereford in March to show the widespread backing for the scheme from political leaders like Herefordshire Council and Jesse Norman MP and business chiefs like the Marches LEP and Herefordshire Chamber of Commerce.

The Midlands Rail Hub will also double frequency per hour of trains to Birmingham from Hereford, making travelling by train a more attractive option than ever.

The Midlands Rail Hub is Midlands Connect’s £1.5bn flagship scheme. It proposes interventions across the rail network which would add more than 14 million more seats on the rail network each year and provide faster, more frequent or new rail links for over 30 locations including Hereford, Worcester and Droitwich.

Andy Clark, Senior Rail Programme Manager, commented:

“These numbers show how important the Midlands Rail Hub is for communities in Hereford. To transform the journey time from slower than the road to faster is a huge change, especially for those such as commuters travelling at peak times.”

Cllr Philip Price, Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure, added:

“It’s crucial for Hereford residents to have quick access to nearby urban centres such as Birmingham. The Midlands Rail Hub will make this easier by train, making connections across the West Midlands stronger.”

Last year Network Rail and Midlands Connect submitted an Outline Business Case for the Midlands Rail Hub to government, asking for funding to develop a Full Business Case and get building works started by 2025.