Interchange
Connecting journeys from Interchange
Interchange station will serve Solihull and the West Midlands. It will have links to local roads and the motorway network. The station will drive growth in Solihull.
Up to five trains an hour will pass through the station in both directions.
A world-leading sustainable station creating jobs
Interchange is the first railway station in the world to get an ‘outstanding’ rating from BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). This puts it in the top 1% of UK buildings with eco-friendly credentials.
Construction of the station will support 1,000 jobs.
Station design
Interchange’s design focuses on sustainability, natural daylight and ventilation. The roof has been designed to capture and reuse rainwater.
The station will have sunken rain gardens in the public plaza and an outdoor terrace next to the station concourse. Pedestrians will be able to enter the station from the east. Cyclists will have dedicated routes from the north, west and south-east.
Designing the station landscape to enhance biodiversity
The design of the area around the station will reflect the local Arden landscape. When possible, we are keeping the existing trees and hedgerows. Tree planting and a proposed drainage pond at the edge of the site will encourage biodiversity.
Passengers will be able to see the pond from the station concourse and the APM stop.
The APM maintenance facility will be near the M42. This reduces the length of the viaduct and its environmental impact.
Design animation
Station construction
The 150-hectare site for Interchange sits in a triangle of land between the M42, A45 and A452.
Passengers can use the APM to get to the NEC, Birmingham International and Birmingham Airport. It will carry up to 2,100 passengers per hour in each direction.
Road improvements to support access to the new station include a bridge over the M42. There will also be two 415-metre–long island platforms. These will create four platform faces, and two central high-speed lines for trains that do not stop at the station.
Construction update video
Automated people mover
The Automated people mover (APM) will carry passengers between:
- Interchange station,
- the National Exhibition Centre (NEC),
- Birmingham International rail station and
- Birmingham Airport.
An elevated, accessible APM system connecting the station
The APM will run on an elevated viaduct 1.4 miles (2.2km) long, ranging in height from 6 to 14 metres. It will cross the NEC, West Coast Main Line and M42.
The APM viaduct will be made of weathering steel and supported by concrete columns. When first installed weathering steel is an orange-brown colour. After a few years the colour changes to dark brown.
It is popular for infrastructure projects because it needs little maintenance. The APM stops are designed to be simple and easy to use. Colour will be used to help passengers find their way. Information screens and passenger announcements will provide live journey updates. All stops will be fully accessible to disabled people.
The APMs will be cleaned and maintained in a dedicated facility. The facility will be next to the viaduct, east of where it crosses the M42.
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