Richard Parker has outlined ambitious plans for transport improvements, housing delivery and job creation across Birmingham, Coventry and the wider West Midlands region
A visualisation of the proposed revised design for Curzon Street Station(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Long-awaited railway services, new homes and progress on major developments are what residents of the West Midlands can expect to witness in 2026.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has gazed ahead to the coming year and expressed his anticipation for numerous significant projects advancing based around his priorities of transport, housing and jobs.
He also acknowledged there could be a potential challenge looming if Reform perform strongly in the upcoming elections and seize control of local authorities across the region.
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He has voiced his views publicly in reaction to statements made openly by Reform MPs, most recently when Richard Tice demanded the abandonment of HS2.
However, he added he would collaborate with them if they gain control of councils and become members of the West Midlands Combined Authority Board.
The mayor stated he wants to deliver initiatives which matter to residents, including a strategy to revitalise struggling high streets throughout the region.
With construction completed on five new railway stations in Birmingham and Walsall, they are anticipated to begin serving passengers in the new year whilst work on the first phase of the Midland Metro extension to Dudley should also be concluded.
Mr Parker said: “I’m really pleased with the progress we are making on the Investment Zones and they’ll be getting a lot of focus in 2026.
(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
“We’ve committed £7 million and the City of Wolverhampton Council committed £20 million to kickstart clearance in the Wolverhampton Green Corridor and we are making really good progress in Coventry.
“We are making progress on big investments that will drive advanced manufacturing and the agenda around battery storage and help our transition from fossil fuels. And those will target the creation of tens of thousands of jobs.
“This year, we’ve delivered 3,000 homes and next year, the figure for homes will be 5,000. We can see the difference we’re making on delivery.
“We’ve got the Rosewell Review of transport which is all about giving us advice on the best way to deploy and use those transport funds to support growth.
“There will be a big re-statement on our big transport projects going forward. A real seminal piece of work.”
He added: “I want to make sure what I’m doing has relevance to our communities.
“We know the importance of high streets. I visited LCP based in Pensnett who own shopping centres in our towns and cities.
“The discussion was not just about how they want to make more of their assets, it was really interesting because it tied in with a big agenda of mine for 2026.
“I will be working on it about our high streets, markets and how we increase footfall.
“We will be running a series of events across 2026 about what we will be looking to do to drive more footfall.
(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
“I want to create a mayor’s fund to support investment and transformation and working with partners on what we can do on the public sector side to ensure we use some of our critical mass and our resources in terms of occupying sites and supporting town centre economies.”
In 2025, Mr Parker set up taskforces to bring ‘new thinking’ around the issues of transport, housing and the economy and Mr Parker expects a thread of new ideas to come forward from them.
He also said more work will be done around active travel and ensuring public transport is safe.
He said: “If our public transport systems aren’t safe, it impacts our disadvantaged communities the most as they use our public transport the most.
“We will be saying a lot more about active travel and one of the key initiatives we will be driving forward is around kid’s streets, closing roads outside schools and encourage more walking and cycling and safer space around our schools.”
And progress is expected to be made on major sites covered by a new Mayoral Development Corporation, developed with the aim of giving investors speed, scale and certainty and help bring schemes forward.
It will bring together planning powers, land, funding and delivery under one roof and cut bureaucracy.
Mr Parker said: “We’re doing work to open up investment and planning around the big sites which include Birmingham’s Investment Zone, Digbeth and the Sports Quarter.
“There will be some demonstrable activity on those sites and I think next year, issues around planning and the proprietary work will be at the fore.”
In May 2026, there will be ‘all out’ council elections in Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall and, should Reform take control of any of those, the leaders will sit on the Combined Authority board.
Mr Parker said: “If they are elected to some of these places, we will have to work together. We’ve got a sense of mission and purpose here and I will want and expect them to support what we are doing.
“But let’s not hide behind the fact they’ve made comments previously that would damage our regions.
“Nigel Farage was clear what he thought about JLR and the trade deal, he would have sacrificed them.
“They’ve talked about cancelling HS2. HS2 is driving investment and tens of thousands of jobs in this region.
“I have concerns about some of the policies they might take forward. I don’t want them doing anything that will be detrimental to the people or the economy we’re building here in the West Midlands.
“Every council leader sits on the Board is aligned with my priorities. Everything we are doing is about improving the lives of the people who live here.
“Whether that’s through bus franchising, investing in the skills agenda, social and affordable homes and how we are shaping our economy for the future.”
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