Major Rail Upgrade Set to Transform Travel to Villa Park
Chronic travel problems for Aston Villa supporters and concert audiences could soon be resolved as £25 million has been earmarked for crucial upgrades at Witton and Aston railway stations. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board is expected to approve the funding, specifically timed to prepare for the UEFA European Football Championships in 2028, where Villa Park will host four major matches.
Addressing Years of Fan Frustration
Fans have long endured difficult journeys to and from the famous ground, issues they repeatedly raised with West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker. In response, Mayor Parker established an Event Day Travel Working Group earlier this year. This group, comprising club officials, WMCA members, transport representatives, and council leaders, was tasked with finding a permanent solution to the match-day congestion and travel misery.
The funding forms part of the wider £2.4 billion allocated to the region through the Transport for City Regions (TCR) programme, announced in June 2025. The report to the WMCA Board emphasised the urgency, stating the upgrades are an "early consideration within the TCR portfolio due to the urgent need to make improvements at both stations ahead of the UEFA European Football Championships."
Two-Phase Plan for Lasting Improvement
If approved, the project will be delivered in two distinct phases designed for both immediate and long-term benefits.
Phase 1 will focus on essential upgrades to be completed before Euro 2028. The priority is to ensure safer queueing, minimise disruption, and deliver an improved passenger experience for the influx of international visitors.
Phase 2 will encompass more aspirational, long-term improvements aimed at unlocking wider growth and regeneration opportunities around the station sites.
The project will also be supplemented by an infrastructure contribution of approximately £2 million from Aston Villa Football Club itself. This commitment provides certainty for the club as it moves forward with its own stadium upgrade to add 6,000 more seats and a wider regeneration programme.
The case for investment is strengthened by UEFA's ambition that 80% of all journeys to and from football matches should be made by public transport. Beyond major events, the upgrades will support broader local aspirations, including plans to deliver 100,000 new dwellings by 2044 and improve access to nearby economic zones like the Advanced Manufacturing Zone and 'The Food Hub'.
A new Outline Business Case and updated station designs are scheduled to go through the appropriate governance channels in June 2026, marking the next critical step in this transformative transport project.
