AN ambitious scheme aimed at improving transport links in the Midlands and other parts of the country has received £23 million in government funding, it has been revealed.

The Midlands Connect programme, which was officially launched in March of this year, is a 20 to 30-year strategy incorporating 23 local authorities, 20 universities and 11 cities across the region.

The initiative covers rail and road improvements in both the West and East Midlands, with a string of high-profile projects  planned in the next ten years.

These include:

  • Six new rail corridors linking the Midlands to the Thames Valley, and linking the East Midlands to the West;
  • Ten extra train paths to and through Birmingham, improving East/West Midlands connectivity;
  • A new Midlands Rail hub in Birmingham;
  • Improvements to the M6, including making the most of the M6 Toll.

Dudley councillor Mohammed Hanif, who sits on the Transport Delivery Committee, said he is excited about the opportunities the Midlands Connect scheme will bring to the region.

"I think, as long as the investment is there, there's a huge, huge future for the Midlands in this project," he said.

"I know there aren't too many specifics so far, but as far as we're concerned in Dudley some of the plans for the M6 corridor would be great.

"But all I really want to see is the money spent responsibly, and what's best for the region. It's an exciting project, though."

At a transport delivery committee for the West Midlands Combined Authority on Monday, Midland Connect director Maria Machancoses told councillors that the project had already received £23 million in government funding since March.

She said: "The rail programme is in a really good place – £8 million of that £23 million will be put toward that. It's not enough, of course, but we will continue to make the case for more from the government.

"This whole project is really about empowering the Midlands, and that's what this funding will help with. It's development funding to help take concepts and ideas into real business."

Ms Machancoses went on to explain that the priorities for Midlands Connect over the next year or so would be to continue to gather the evidence and lay the groundwork for further funding of both the rail and road network, identifying areas for improvement along the way.

By the time the project is complete, she said, 85,000 extra people per day should be able to use the rail network, bringing an estimated £143 million per year into the area.