It would be "reprehensible" if the Government failed to redevelop Birmingham's New Street Station before the next General Election, shadow Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will tell transport officials today.

The rebuilding of the station is vital in reducing the rail bottleneck around the city and should take place before 2009, according to Mr Grayling.

Speaking to The Birmingham Post, he said the Government had promised to rebuild the full-to-capacity station by 2000, and had repeated its promise during the Hodge Hill by-election two years ago, but little had been done since.

Mr Grayling also attacked plans for another toll road in the Midlands, claiming the current system, originally put forward by a former Conservative Government, provided a "rich man's road".

He will meet with officials in Birmingham today to discuss the ailing transport network. Topics will include New Street, plans to extend the Midland Metro system, and congestion charging.

He said: "New Street is a significant issue. There is a real bottleneck here and it is something we have got to get to grips with.

"I will be very disappointed to find in 2009, after the next General Election, it was something the next Government still had to deal with. It would be reprehensible if the Government had completely failed to sort out something it had promised to do in 2000."

Mr Grayling said the Government should push on with its plans to widen the M6 before 2009, but said he was against a proposed second toll road, the M6 Expressway.

"I am uneasy with the concept of the M6 Expressway. On one side of the motorway you have got people sitting in traffic who don't pay and then those who can pay zoom up on an empty road alongside them," he said.

"I think toll motorways have a role to play but they have got to be used in the right way and not to be used as a rich man's road.

"I am expecting the Government, by 2009, to get the widening well under way. If they haven't I will be quite surprised."

Mr Grayling (Epsom and Ewell) also criticised Transport Secretary Alistair Darling's plans to use the West Midlands as a possible pilot area to test road user charging in exchange for much-needed funding to pay for transport projects.

"I am sceptical about the general scheme. There is a real danger that Government is not good at running grand IT schemes and the problem with the Alistair Darling project is you have to put black boxes in every car in the country, collect the data, issue a bill and collect the money," he said.

"I have spoken to councillors on the PTA about what is planned. Effectively, the Government is saying trial this plan for congestion charging or road pricing or you won't get any money for transport improvements.

"They are talking about applying conditions which mean transport improvements in the West Midlands will be put on hold for years."

Transport bosses hope to win Mr Grayling's support for an ambitious programme of improvements to bus and rail services, including the expansion of the Midland Metro and cutting congestion on the roads.

They have previously criticised Birmingham City Council for dithering over the signing of a business plan for the Metro so it can be put to ministers.

Coun Gary Clarke, chairman of the region's Passenger Transport Authority, said the number of people using buses has been falling and councillors are looking for political support to make bus companies deliver a better service.