Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to increase spending on transport infrastructure in the West Midlands.

The Government is investing heavily in better transport infrastructure for the West Midlands.

We have committed around £115 million to two ‘large local major’ schemes, which are now under construction – the A4440 Worcester Southern Relief Road (Carrington Bridge) and the Birmingham Centenary Square tram extension - with more than £400m committed to a further nine road and public transport schemes in the West Midlands.

HS2 is already playing a huge part of the Midlands’ success story, with work well under way at over 60 sites including major development at Curzon Street and Washwood Heath. It will put Birmingham at the heart of Britain’s new high speed network, including two stations within the Birmingham area.

We have allocated £321.5m from the Transforming Cities Fund to West Midlands Combined Authority who are using it to build the Brierley Hill tram extension.

On the strategic road network, Highways England has just started construction on widening the A500 Etruria Valley, a £17.5m investment.

In Rail Control Period 5, we funded a number of schemes in the West Midlands, including the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street, upgrade and electrification of the Chase Line, and extension of the Cross City Line from Longbridge to Bromsgrove.

We also provided £5m to Midlands Connect to develop a strategic outline business case for the Midlands Rail Hub programme. We expect this to be submitted to the Department in June 2019.

In November 2018, the Infrastructure and Pipeline Authority published their Analysis of the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline. The regional analysis of the pipeline shows that over the period of 2018/19 - 2020/21, the West Midlands will receive £255 per person on average each year of planned central government transport investment, which is the 4th highest of the 9 regions and ahead of London.