07.11.13
Midland Metro extension work begins
The first track has now been laid for the £127m Midland Metro extension, Centro has announced. The first 1.5km is the start of a link between Snow Hill and New Street stations, delivered by Balfour Beatty.
The project also includes public realm improvements, with an operational service due to be introduced by 2015. The extension work is expected to create over 1,300 new jobs and boost the West Midlands economy by over £50m a year.
Chris Haworth, Centro project manager, said: “This is a significant moment for the Metro extension as it has been 60 years since the last tram ran in Birmingham.
“We are pleased that Balfour Beatty, with their wide range of experience in delivering similar light rail systems across the world, will be helping us to deliver this project and provide best value for money for our residents and businesses in doing so.”
Steve Davies, Balfour Beatty managing director for the Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the achievement of this significant milestone with Centro and Birmingham City Council.
“Despite the complexity of the construction works and the highly confined space we will be operating in, the works are progressing at an excellent pace.
“Balfour Beatty has a wide range of experience in delivering mass transit systems internationally and we look forward to providing Birmingham with a world-class tram system by 2015.”
Preparatory works for the tram extension began last summer, followed by platform extensions works across the network, and the first tram in Midland Metro’s £40m, 20-strong new fleet recently arrived, built by CAF in Spain.
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