Seven projects. 736 more passenger trains every day. Fully integrated with HS2.
Midlands Engine Rail (MER) is our £3.5 billion plan to transform the region's rail network.
Made up of seven projects spanning the East Midlands and West Midlands, up to 60 locations could benefit from improved east-west services by creating space for 736 more passenger trains on the network each day.
Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Lincoln, Worcester and Wolverhampton are just some of the places that could receive faster, more frequent services.
The Midlands' location at the heart of the UK transport network gives MER national significance, driving benefits as far afield as Cardiff, Bristol, Newcastle and Sheffield.
MER also boosts rail freight capacity by making space for an additional one million lorries' worth of cargo to be transported by rail each year.
Our plans are fully integrated with HS2 and include two conventional-compatible services that could directly link Nottingham and Leicester city centres to the new high speed network.
The government is being urged to fund MER's development with a £45.5 million investment to take its seven projects to the next stage.
To find out more about Midlands Engine Rail, read our summary, or to explore each of the seven projects, click on the links:
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