Chinese plan HS2 link for disused Victorian rail;The Whitacre Link

By E Birmingham
9 January 2014

Chinese plan HS2 link for disused Victorian rail;The Whitacre Link

The planned railway would link to HS2 and Birmingham Airport. A Chinese state-owned business has approached Birmingham City Council about reopening an old railway line. Under the plans, the Stonebridge Railway in Warwickshire would link to the HS2 Birmingham Interchange station, with connections to Birmingham Airport. The council confirmed it had received a letter from the China Railway Group interested in designing, constructing and financing the project.

Transport group Centro called the plans "interesting". Under the plans, the 11.7 kilometres (7.3 miles) link would run from Hampton-in-Arden, near Solihull to Whitacre Junction, in North Warwickshire, with links to Birmingham International Station and the National Exhibition Centre. The Stonebridge Railway was opened in 1839 It ran from Whitacre, in Warwickshire, to Hampton-in-Arden
The line closed in the 1930s. Rail experts believe it would cost an estimated £240 million to restore the line, or £280 million with full electrification.

Birmingham City Council said the China Railway Group, the main construction company for China's railways, had sent it a letter in December, expressing its interest in backing the scheme. A Birmingham City Council spokesperson confirmed they had been contacted by the railway group and said: "We are always keen to hear of any proposals that could improve connectivity and transport infrastructure in the city." A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We would be interested in seeing a detailed business case to support this scheme."