The UK government plans to establish a major Transport and Infrastructure Campus in the West Midlands, creating high-skilled roles and speeding up the delivery of national infrastructure projects
The UK government has announced that the West Midlands will become a hub for transport and infrastructure, with a new Transport and Infrastructure Campus designed to harness local expertise and drive regional growth.
The hub will unite departments including transport, housing, and property to drive public investment, create high-skilled careers, and support major projects.
A new Government hub for transport and infrastructure
The new Transport and Infrastructure Campus will consolidate departmental expertise across the West Midlands, serving as a regional coordination hub for over 35,000 civil servants. Its primary purpose is to centrally manage key transport and infrastructure initiatives, building on the success of campuses such as the Darlington Economic Campus, the Digital and AI Innovation Campus in Manchester, and the Energy Campus in Aberdeen.
The West Midlands is one of the largest hubs of civil servants outside of London, and more than 3,200 roles have been relocated to the West Midlands through Places for Growth, including nearly 1,800 to Birmingham.
The Places for Growth programme aims to bring the civil service closer to the communities it serves, with 34% of UK-based Senior Civil Servants now based outside London, and the goal of 50% of UK-based Senior Civil Service and Fast Stream roles being located outside London by 2030.
Driving growth and investment through regional expertise
The Transport and Infrastructure Campus will bring together experts from across the region, from the Department for Transport, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Cabinet Office, to accelerate infrastructure projects and support the investment of at least £725 billion in public infrastructure over the next decade under the National Infrastructure Strategy. The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will lead the development of the campus.
Furthermore, the campus will drive national renewal, supporting the building of 1.5 million new homes and fast-tracking 150 major infrastructure projects.
Cabinet Office Minister Anna Turley said: “The West Midlands is Britain’s transport heartland, and this new campus will harness that regional strength to accelerate the infrastructure projects that communities need.
I am a firm believer that the best ideas often come from those on the frontline. By moving decision-making out of Whitehall and into the West Midlands, we are ensuring decisions are informed by local expertise and deliver real, tangible benefits for every part of the UK.”
Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said: “The West Midlands is a fantastic home for this new Transport and Infrastructure Campus, with a real strength in delivering major projects like the Midland Metro, the expanding SPRINT bus network, and the opening of five new rail stations later this year.
By basing the campus here, we’re backing local expertise and bringing decision‑making closer to communities, helping deliver the infrastructure needed to drive growth across the country.”
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “We’ve promised to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, and that means doing things differently. This campus brings together the people and expertise we need to cut through the barriers and help us get Britain building.
Local knowledge, local talent. That’s what I mean when I said build, baby, build.”
