The Engine Room
Ever wondered why your train isn't running on time, what the future holds for electric vehicles or what the big fuss is about HS2? Learn about the social, economic and political forces behind transport investment in the Midlands.
The Engine Room
Around the Wrekin - Improving the Birmingham - Black Country - Shrewsbury rail line
How can speeding up rail journeys improve the economy? What do shorter journey times mean for commuters, local businesses and tourists – and how do rail projects even go from an idea to implementation? In this episode, we speak to Tawhida Yaacoub, Senior Rail Programme Manager at Midlands Connect to answer these questions and discuss plans on enhancing the Birmingham – Black Country – Shrewsbury rail line.
Midlands Connect is the Sub-national Transport Body for the Midlands.
Midlands Connect researches, develops and champions long-term transport projects to provide the biggest possible economic, social and environmental benefits for the Midlands and the rest of the UK.
We examine every option for improving major transport infrastructure in our region. The fundamental aim of these improvements is to transform regional and UK gateways, bringing the Midlands closer together and accelerating cost-effective improvements to unlock east-west connectivity that will enable the region's economies to work more effectively together.
Our partnership is made up of 22 local authorities, East Midlands and Birmingham airports, and Chambers of Commerce stretching from the Welsh border to the Lincolnshire coast. The partnership also includes the Department for Transport, Network Rail, National Highways and HS2 Ltd, with whom we work alongside to drive an unprecedented level of collaboration for the good of the Midlands and the UK.