The Leader of the House of Commons joined local leaders to mark significant track progress on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension during a visit to the future terminus of phase one of the scheme.
The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Leader of the House of Commons, was invited by Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, to see some of the tram tracks being laid in Flood Street by the Midland Metro Alliance. They were joined on the visit by Nicola Richards MP and Councillor Patrick Harley, Leader of Dudley Council.
The visit comes after Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) welcomed a £2.7 billion investment into the region’s transport infrastructure to fund a wide range of improvements to transport infrastructure. An immediate £100 million investment will enable TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), to complete the second phase of the extension in full, taking trams from Dudley town centre to Brierley Hill High Street.
Speaking as part of a number of events organised to highlight the major regeneration taking place in Dudley town centre, Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It’s great to see such tremendous progress being made on this much anticipated route – with funding now confirmed from Government to enable us to extend the metro route all the way through to Brierley Hill High Street. Large-scale public transport projects like this play a pivotal role in boosting our regional economy – creating highly skilled jobs and training opportunities for local people. I cannot wait to see residents benefitting from this fantastic new infrastructure in the months and years ahead.”
Councillor Patrick Harley added: “The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension is just one of the major projects being developed across the borough to improve the life and prospects of those living, working and visiting Dudley. It was exciting to see the terminus for phase one of the route really taking shape ready for passengers to experience it late next year.”
The Midland Metro Alliance, which is designing and delivering the scheme on behalf of TfWM, has been working in the Black Country town in phases since 2020 with the majority of track work now in place and the final elements in Flood Street set to be completed in the coming months. Throughout 2024, 860 tonnes of entirely British-made track will be laid in the former railway corridor which makes up the majority of phase one of the route. The use of British steel on the project follows the Mayor’s recent signing of the UK Steel Charter.
Marilyn Grazette, Metro Programme Sponsor for TfWM, said: “It is an exciting time in the delivery of this scheme with phase one delivery continuing to move at pace. Those in Dudley will start to see how the new route will look when in operation with the finishing touches added over the coming months.”
The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension will boost public transport in the Black Country, providing much-needed links to the existing heavy and light rail networks, and helping to connect people to education, training and career opportunities further afield in the West Midlands. When the first phase of the route opens to the public in late 2024, an additional nine stops will be added to the West Midlands Metro network linking people in Dudley town centre to both Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Photo credit: Midland Metro Alliance
0113 2082620
info@railbusinessdaily.com
15 Mariner Court, Wakefield WF4 3FL
