Work on £24 million Dudley Interchange to begin in new year

Dudley Bus Station will be demolished early next year ready for building work to start on the new £24 million interchange.

The out-of-date bus station is being replaced with a new interchange offering a modern, accessible environment and seamless connections between bus and Metro services.

As part of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension, the new Interchange will better connect the people of Dudley to leisure and job opportunities across the region – as well as providing a modern gateway to the town for visitors.

Set to open in 2025, the interchange is just one in a series of major regeneration projects which are transforming Dudley town centre, including the Portersfield development. This also follows recent developments at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre, Black Country Living Museum and the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology.

The project is being led by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), in partnership with Dudley Council. Funding for the interchange was awarded to the WMCA by the Department for Transport via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement .

The work is being carried out alongside the development of phase one of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension which is being delivered for TfWM by Midland Metro Alliance.

Demolition of the 1986 built bus station means bus stops will be temporarily relocated to Tower Street and Ednam Road. TfWM and bus operators publish detailed information in the weeks leading up to closure.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “This Interchange will vastly improve public transport connections for Dudley town centre visitors and businesses – giving local people the more modern, convenient and environmentally friendly bus and tram facilities they deserve.

“We have Metro tracks being laid for the first phase of the Metro extension in the town centre, have been working on cross-city bus route to improve reliability of services into Dudley and are developing and extending cycle lanes across the borough. This will help to offer local people safe and convenient alternatives to the car – reducing road traffic congestion.

“This announcement comes just after we were able to confirm funding to deliver the second phase of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension in full. This is a great time for public transport in the Black Country and for the regeneration of Dudley town centre. I look forward to seeing the Interchange take shape in the months ahead.

“Together with our support for the Portersfield development, the Institute of Technology and the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre, the WMCA is playing its part in ensuring what is clearly a bright future ahead for Dudley.”

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley council, said: “We are making great progress in Dudley town centre. With the upcoming demolition of the old bus station, people can see that the skyline of the town centre is changing once again and we are making good on our word to regenerate the town and create a place where people want to live, work or visit.

“The interchange will be a hub for transport in the town and will make it easier for people travelling by bus and tram. It will be a very proud moment for me when the new Interchange opens.”

Cllr Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio lead for transport and leader of Walsall council, said: “Dudley Interchange is among dozens of projects being developed to improve our road, rail, cycling and walking, tram and bus infrastructure across the West Midlands.

“This unprecedented investment in public transport and active travel will make people’s journeys easier, more comfortable, improve our air quality and help reduce traffic congestion on our streets.”

Photo credit: Transport for West Midlands

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