Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, told Michael Fabricant this morning that funding has been made available to Staffordshire County Council through the cancellation of Phase 2 of HS2 which would enable a passenger rail service to the National Memorial Arboretum and Burton from Birmingham via Lichfield.

In Transport Questions in the House of Commons this morning (21st March), Michael Fabricant asked the Transport Secretary:

“The extension of the Birmingham to Lichfield ‘cross city’ line goes all the way to Burton and passes the National Memorial Arboretum. At the moment, it’s only used for freight, and I was told four years ago that the cost of upgrading it for passenger traffic would only be about £10 million, which is nothing in the great scheme of things.

“So when can we see this line being completed, and people being able to go to the National Memorial Arboretum, of which there are half a million visitors a year, by rail – instead of always having to go by road?”

The Secretary of State, Mark Harper replied: “I know my Hon Friend has been a longstanding champion of this scheme, and takes every opportunity to raise it with us!

“It’s for local authorities to promote schemes for transport in their area; however, I’m pleased to tell him that following our decision to cancel the second phase of HS2, we have now been able to make significant funds available to his local authority, Staffordshire County Council, which is going to get just under £260 million from the Local Transport Fund.

“So I urge my Hon Friend to talk to them to see if they can fund the very modest bid that he has just made for this scheme.”

Michael now says:  “Both the Chief Executive of the National Memorial Arboretum, Philippa Rawlinson, and I see the value of this scheme to the economy of Staffordshire and particularly to people living in Lichfield, Alrewas, and eventually Barton under Needwood where a train halt could also be made available.  It will provide a national rail link to the Arboretum for the hundreds of thousands of veterans who visit from all over the country.

“As Mark Harper suggested, I will be urging the Leader of Staffordshire County Council, Cllr Alan White, and his Cabinet to carefully consider this proposal in detail and use some of the Local Transport Fund to make this scheme a reality.  I will be sending the County Council the detailed plans drawn up by the West Midlands Rail Executive for this exciting new railway service.  I hope it will now finally go ahead.”

Photo shows (l to r) Malcolm Holmes of the West Midlands Rail Executive (retired), the then rail minister Wendy Morton, Michael Fabricant, and Philippa Rawlinson when Wendy Morton visited the National Memorial Arboretum in January 2022.