- Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander in the West Midlands to begin work on the £295 million project
- the extension will better connect the Black Country with the centre of Birmingham, improving access to jobs and opportunities
- government investment to transform infrastructure and grow the economy as it delivers the Plan for Change
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander is in the West Midlands today (6 February 2025) to put spades in the ground on the extension of the West Midlands Metro tram network in the Black Country.
Funded through the government’s £1.05 billion City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for the West Midlands, the project will see drastically improved connections for currently underserved communities.
For the first time, this investment will mean trams will run from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill, providing faster and more reliable transport connections between Dudley and Brierley Hill to the city centre and wider West Midlands and so to jobs and opportunities.
Providing first time light rail connection for many local residents, passengers will benefit from journey time savings of up to 30% compared to taking the bus and with greater reliability at peak times.
The first phase of the extension, running from Wednesbury to Dudley town centre, is already well underway and due to open to passengers in autumn of this year.
Poor local transport stifles local productivity, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas where so many rely on local buses, trains and trams. That’s why boosting local transport infrastructure is central to the government’s Growth Mission, as is empowering local leaders to deliver better transport for their communities through the Devolution White Paper. This is helping support jobs, boost local business and deliver growth in all 4 corners of the UK as part of the government’s Plan for Change.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
Residents in and around the Black Country have been chronically underserved by public transport, limiting access to jobs and opportunities and stunting economic growth.
We’re turning the tide on poor transport connections in the West Midlands and delivering a transport system that people can rely on, raising living standards across the region.
The extension of the West Midlands Metro will be transformational and I am delighted to officially mark the start of work today as this government gets on with supporting local jobs and business while empowering local leaders to deliver our Plan for Change.
Once complete, the extension will provide a major boost to local businesses as the extension is set to pass through Cinder Bank, Pedmore Road and the Waterfront business park.
The Transport Secretary is meeting with West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and being given a tour of Parkhead Viaduct in Dudley – an iconic 19 century Brunel structure which will come back into use as part of the Metro route.
Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said:
Good transport links are essential – helping people get to school, work, local shops and to enjoy a day out. Extending the metro further into the Black Country opens up routes for job opportunities, skills and growth, ensuring fast, reliable journeys for everyone across the West Midlands.
Now that I have secured the funding from government and we’ve got the approvals needed, the work can start to make this long-awaited project a reality. The restoration of this viaduct shows how we can protect our region’s industrial heritage while developing modern infrastructure.
With the first phase nearly complete, the Metro is already creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and attracting investment to the area, and soon it will take those same opportunities into Dudley and Merry Hill.
