Mayor promises 'progress' in 2026

22 December 2025

Gurdip ThandiLocal Democracy Reporting Service

Mayor Richard Parker was pictured at the site of the Yardley Brook development in Birmingham where 150 new social homes are being built

West Midlands Combined Authority A man in a dark suit and white shirt is standing in front of a digger looking at the camera. He is wearing glasses. — Mayor Richard Parker was pictured at the site of the Yardley Brook development in Birmingham where 150 new social homes are being built

Long awaited railway services, new homes and progress on major developments are what people of the West Midlands can expect to see in 2026.

The mayor of the West Midlands has said he is looking forward to a number of projects moving forward next year, focusing what he said are his priorities of transport, housing and jobs.

He also admitted there could be a possible challenge ahead if Reform perform well in the forthcoming elections and take control of local authorities in the region.

Five new railway stations in Birmingham and Walsall are expected to start serving passengers and the first phase of the Midland Metro extension to Dudley should also be finished.

Parker said more work would be done around active travel, and pointed out 3,000 homes had been delivered this year and is expecting 5,000 more in 2026.

Progress was being made on "big investments that will drive advanced manufacturing", he stated.

Parker said more work would be done around ensuring public transport was safe saying "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 streets, closing roads outside schools and encouraging more walking and cycling."

An artist's impression has been released of proposed new canalside units which form part of the 'green innovation corridor' in Wolverhampton

City of Wolverhampton Council An artist's impression shows units in white in the middle, along with some trees and bushes nearby. A train is on the left of this aerial image. — An artist's impression has been released of proposed new canalside units which form part of the 'green innovation corridor' in Wolverhampton

Parker said he was "really pleased with the progress we are making on the Investment Zones" and they would get "a lot of focus" in 2026.

"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."

Parker has looked at work being carried out at Kings Heath station

West Midlands Combined Authority Parker, the person nearest to the camera, is wearing a hard hat and hi-vis jacket, along with half a dozen others on the left and middle of the photo. They are looking towards a building site on the right. — Parker has looked at work being carried out at Kings Heath station

Parker said he knew "the importance of high streets".

He stated: "We will be running a series of events across 2026 about what we will be looking to do to drive more footfall.

"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."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.