Two restored stations in the West Midlands opened their doors today. Three more are set to open next month.

Willenhall and Darlaston have sheltered platforms, accessible lifts, ticket machines and secure cycle racks. Darlaston includes a car park with 300 spaces for park and ride commuters, while Willenhall has an additional 33 parking spaces.

The opening follows a £185 million construction programme led by Transport for West Midlands to build five new stations in the West Midlands. The other three are on the reopened Camp Hill Line in south Birmingham at Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road, which are planned to open on 7 April.

West Midlands Railway customer experience director Jonny Wiseman said: ‘We are delighted to officially open these two brand-new stations for passengers in Willenhall and Darlaston, unlocking faster and greener travel options for local residents.

‘These stations will make a huge difference to thousands of passengers in the Black Country, bringing direct transport links to major hubs in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Telford and Shrewsbury. From today, we are excited to welcome new passengers on board the service for the first time and we look forward to seeing even more customers on board in the coming months.’

The first train to call at the new stations was the 06.26 from Birmingham New Street to Shrewsbury.

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