AtkinsRéalis to Lead Alliance on £1.75B Midlands Rail Transformation

BIRMINGHAM, UK – December 18, 2025

Engineering and services giant AtkinsRéalis has been appointed by Network Rail to lead the design and development of the Midlands Rail Hub, a landmark £1.75 billion program set to overhaul rail connectivity across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. The appointment places the company at the heart of a powerful new alliance tasked with delivering one of the UK’s most significant regional infrastructure projects in a generation.

The eight-year program, which has received an initial £123 million in government funding for design and development, aims to untangle one of the most congested parts of Britain's rail network. The investment, partially reallocated from the scaled-back HS2 project under the "Network North" initiative, signals a strategic pivot towards enhancing existing regional transport links. AtkinsRéalis will join forces with VolkerRail, Laing O'Rourke, Siemens Mobility, and Network Rail itself in a collaborative alliance to bring the ambitious vision to life.

"Government investment in rail infrastructure is essential to improving connectivity and supporting economic growth," said Ian L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer of AtkinsRéalis, in a statement. "Programs such as the Midlands Rail Hub demonstrate the potential for transformative place-led growth when enhanced transport infrastructure is combined with wider regeneration and development opportunities, creating corridors of growth that improve connectivity for communities and businesses."

A Bet on Regional Regeneration

The Midlands Rail Hub is more than an infrastructure upgrade; it is framed as a catalyst for profound socio-economic change. Projections estimate the project will generate over £2 billion in economic benefits, create more than 12,750 jobs—including over 300 apprenticeships—and unlock significant productivity gains across the region. By the early 2030s, the program is expected to add up to 300 extra trains to the network each day, creating an estimated 20 million additional seats annually for passengers traveling between Birmingham and over 50 other locations across the Midlands and into Wales.

At the project's core is the reconfiguration of rail services through Birmingham's three primary stations: New Street, Moor Street, and Snow Hill. This will be achieved by building two new rail connections, known as the Bordesley Chords. These chords will create new pathways into Birmingham Moor Street station, allowing more services from the South-West, Wales, and the East Midlands to bypass the bottleneck at New Street. The plans also include significant capacity enhancements at Moor Street station to accommodate the increased traffic and improve interchange with the future HS2 station at Curzon Street.

For passengers, the benefits promise to be tangible. The heavily used Cross City line is slated to get a "turn up and go" frequency, with two extra trains per hour, while services to locations like Nottingham, Hereford, Worcester, and Leicester will see increased frequency and capacity. The project enjoys overwhelming public backing, with a recent survey indicating 96% support among residents who see it as a vital tool for breaking down barriers to opportunity and attracting new investment.

The Power of the Alliance Model

To deliver a project of this scale and complexity, Network Rail has opted for a collaborative alliance model, a strategy increasingly favored for major infrastructure works. This approach integrates the expertise of all partners from the outset, fostering shared risk, innovation, and efficiency. The consortium brings together a formidable roster of industry leaders, each with a specific and critical role.

AtkinsRéalis will provide multi-disciplinary design, engineering leadership, and comprehensive project management. The firm's deep experience in the UK rail sector is a cornerstone of its appointment. "AtkinsRéalis brings proven credentials to the Midlands Rail Hub, from major station redesigns including Birmingham New Street to large-scale alliance programs such as East West Rail," noted Chris Ball, President for the United Kingdom and Ireland at AtkinsRéalis. "The alliance model enables us to work collaboratively with our partners to deliver the design and development work that will reshape connectivity for millions of people across this economically important region."

They are joined by construction specialists Laing O'Rourke, known for its work on HS2, Crossrail, and the East West Rail Alliance, and VolkerRail, another key player in UK rail engineering. Technology giant Siemens Mobility will contribute its world-leading expertise in signaling and train control systems. Siemens is already a primary partner for Network Rail on the £4 billion Train Control Systems Framework and the East Coast Digital Programme, which is introducing next-generation in-cab signaling. This integrated expertise is considered essential for navigating the technical challenges of modernizing a live, complex rail environment.

A Strategic Win in a Critical Market

The Midlands Rail Hub appointment solidifies AtkinsRéalis's position as a dominant force in the UK's rail infrastructure landscape. It is the latest in a series of major wins that underscore the company's long-term strategic commitment to the sector. The firm is already a key partner in the East West Rail Alliance, which is re-establishing a direct link between Oxford and Cambridge, where it has led on design, project management, and the implementation of its digital-ready Advanced Signalling Method.

Furthermore, its role as the Railway Systems Integration Partner for the East Coast Digital Programme places it at the forefront of the UK's transition to European Train Control System (ETCS) technology. This portfolio of complex, large-scale projects demonstrates a proven ability to deliver on the government's most ambitious infrastructure goals, making the company a go-to partner for Network Rail.

However, the path ahead is not without challenges. Major UK infrastructure projects have a checkered history with budget adherence and timelines; a recent analysis showed over half of UK rail projects face delays. The £1.75 billion price tag for the Midlands Rail Hub is an estimate, and the project will need to navigate the complexities of construction in a dense urban environment while minimizing disruption to existing services. The alliance structure is designed to mitigate these risks, but successful delivery will require rigorous management and sustained political and financial commitment as the project advances toward its full business case completion in 2028.