Trams have reached Millennium Point in a successful overnight track test on the first leg of a new tram extension out to Birmingham City FC’s forthcoming 60,000 seater stadium.
This first phase of the Eastside extension includes two stops offering passengers easy access to key destinations including Moor Street Station, Millennium Point and Birmingham City University campus, while work continues to take the extension to Digbeth Coach Station.
It also offers a direct tram link for the almost 400,000 bus passengers a week who use services at the busy Moor Street bus interchange. This brings bus, rail, tram and cycle hire together in a single location as part of an integrated transport system.
Mayor Richard Parker has earmarked £400m to build the tram extension to the new stadium and surrounding Sports Quarter regeneration scheme. The money is also being used to plan and design the full East Birmingham and Solihull extension out to Birmingham Airport and HS2 Interchange.
Late night tram runs will continue over the next few weeks as Midland Metro Alliance engineers fully test the line and fine tune the track ready for the route to be handed over to West Midlands Metro for driver training and timetable testing. Passenger services will start in the autumn following the completion of this rigorous testing process.
The tests are the first time trams have run down Lower Bull Street, Albert Street and across Moor Street Queensway before stopping at a temporary terminus next to the Eastside City Park.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Our plan to extend the Metro network to East Birmingham and Solihull is crucial to unlocking the £3 billion private sector investment in our new Sports Quarter, which in turn will create huge opportunities for communities that have been held back for too long.
“These successful tests show how close we are to opening up new reliable tram links to this part of Birmingham City Centre. Soon it will be easier for everyone to get around – whether they are commuting to work, heading to class or travelling further afield by connecting to rail and bus services.
“Expanding the tram network is a crucial enabler for my Growth Plan. It’s about more than just transport; it’s about connecting people to the businesses and education opportunities that will drive our region forward.”
The Mayor’s Growth Plan sets out how, investment in reliable and convenient public transport links is not just about moving people, but driving business expansion and housing development across the entire region. And this Metro line is supporting wider housing, business and jobs growth in Digbeth and the Sports Quarter.
Cllr Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport with Birmingham City Council, said: “This is an exciting milestone in the expansion of the Metro to East Birmingham.
“I am determined to work hand-in-hand with the Mayor to deliver better transport links across our city, and the Metro is at the very heart of this. The £400m investment that the Mayor secured will unlock economic growth in East Birmingham, helping to connect our communities with jobs and opportunities for generations to come.”
The track has already been completed in Digbeth and construction work is shortly due to commence on the next section on Meriden Street before joining the two tracks together on the Curzon Street Station site.
The extension is being developed by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and designed and built by the Midland Metro Alliance. Services will be operated by West Midlands Metro, which is owned by the WMCA.
Image credit: Transport for the West Midlands
