Mayor disingenuous over new station funding - MP

An MP has accused the West Midlands mayor of being "disingenuous" over the funding for a new railway station in her constituency.

Conservative Wendy Morton, who represents Aldridge-Brownhills, claimed the region's Labour mayor Richard Parker never intended to deliver the planned station in Aldridge by 2027.

Her comments came after a review of the region's transport projects commissioned by Parker found plans for the station, projected to cost £30m, had only attracted £3.6m.

Parker said it was clear the funding was not in place and the business case had not been met.

Speaking to BBC Politics Midlands, Morton said: "The mayor is being so disingenuous on this, because we did secure the £30m, it's in the public domain - the money was there."

She said Parker had "never once" consulted with her, claiming the review was "set out to make the case against Aldridge Station".

Morton said she did not accept the mayor's comments that the business case was not there.

She also claimed Parker was looking for "extra funding" for his project to bring buses back under public control under a franchise model.

"Aldridge, from the outset, has been one of those places that he does not want to deliver on time by 2027," she said.

Asked about the planned new station in Aldridge, the mayor said the issue was clearly set out in the report put together by independent consultants.

"What is pretty clear is the funding wasn't in place but more importantly that project has not currently met the business case requirements that it would need for that investment to take place," he said.

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