More than 130,000 passengers have used three new railway stations in Birmingham since they were finally opened in April, new figures have revealed. Kings Heath, Moseley Village and Pineapple Road on the Camp Hill line have proved to be very popular in their first two months, with a total of 131,866 journeys recorded since April 7.
In addition, the new Willenhall and Darlaston stations in the Black Country have seen nearly 42,000 trips taken in their first three months, with 41,895 journeys since March 19. The five stations, part of a £185 million project, were delivered in partnership with the Department for Transport, West Midlands Railway, Network Rail, and Walsall and Birmingham City councils.
Breakdown of passenger numbers
The figures show 57,376 passengers have used Kings Heath, 45,613 have used Moseley Village, and 28,877 have used Pineapple Road. At Willenhall, 24,516 journeys were recorded, while Darlaston saw 17,379 trips since opening in March.
Two free community events will be held to celebrate the new stations. The first will take place at Willenhall on Saturday, June 27, and the second at Moseley Village on Saturday, July 18, both running from 11am to 3pm.
Mayor's reaction
Mayor Richard Parker said: "These new passenger figures show that if you provide high-quality, reliable public transport, people will use it. These new stations have given local people and businesses a huge lift and generated real excitement. Now we have a chance for these local communities to join us in celebrating their new stations, have a fun time, and find out more about the opportunities for travel on their doorsteps."
Long-awaited return of services
People have waited a long time for the return of passenger services to these stations on the Camp Hill line, which have been closed since 1941. Over in Willenhall and Darlaston, residents last saw passenger trains stopping off in the towns in 1965. The openings signalled the end of a series of frustrating delays which had affected all five stations.
In July 2024, Transport for West Midlands announced the Camp Hill scheme, alongside a raft of other major projects in the region, was to be delayed by a year in the wake of £121 million budget pressures as a result of soaring costs. This was the second delay to hit the project after it was originally due to be scheduled for completion in 2023. But the stations have been met with overwhelming excitement, with passengers, residents and businesses embracing the new stations following their opening.
