Midlands Connect has outlined plans in which the number of train services from Nuneaton to Coventry, Leicester and Birmingham could double.

The improvement in services would come from two schemes, the Midlands Rail Hub and the Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham project.

Midlands Rail Hub

This will allow services to Leicester and Birmingham to be doubled, with four extra trains an hour, 48 more each day, and 4.1 million extra seats a year for passengers.

The Midlands Rail Hub programme is expected to deliver more than 12,750 jobs, with construction lasting from 2025 to 2033.

Full delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub was promised by the Conservative government in 2023, and in February 2024, an additional £123m was allocated to the project to progress the detailed engineering designs.

Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham project

The Coventry to Leicester and Nottingham project is designed to help deliver the next stage of the NUCKLE (Nuneaton, Coventry, Kenilworth, and Leamington Spa) project. It will contribute to a further improvement to services on the Elephant & Bear Line.

This would include the provision of a bay platform at Coventry station to allow local services between Coventry and Nuneaton to be increased to half-hourly, calling at Coventry, Coventry Arena, Bedworth, Bermuda Park and Nuneaton.

Including other service improvements as part of the scheme, the Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham project would deliver around £400m in overall benefits with almost £150m in wider economic benefits for the region.

Jodie Gosling, MP for Nuneaton, commented that Nuneaton residents have been telling her they want to see improvements to its rail network, with a lack of services and overcrowded carriages without a seat all too common for people travelling through Nuneaton.

The additional 48 daily services provided by this scheme, and reduced pressure on other routes will be welcome.

“As a Nuneaton business owner and Regional Chair for the Federation of Small Businesses, I am overwhelmingly in favour of the proposed increases in connectivity from Nuneaton to Coventry and Leicester, as well as other neighbouring towns and cities. Anything which will bring more business and visitors to Nuneaton is to be commended. It opens up an opportunity for improved travel across the East and West Midlands. Valuable for jobs, tourism, and sport, this project will also improve our local travelling times and availability.”

Sue Tonks, Chair of the FSB