New tram plan for Birmingham city centre
Plans for a Midland Metro tram extension through Birmingham city centre are back on track – but the route will be less than half the length originally proposed.
Leaders of the seven West Midlands councils have agreed to back a £25 million bid to the Government for part of the cost of extending the existing tram route from its Snow Hill terminus to New Street Station.
But the councils and passenger transport authority Centro have reluctantly accepted that they will not in the forseeable future be able to afford to take the line on from New Street and up Broad Street to Five Ways, as was originally suggested.
The councils are also asking the Government for £35 million to help build a circular tram route around Wolverhampton city centre.
But a planned Black Country metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill and Stourbridge, taking in the Merry Hill shopping centre, has been dropped for the time being.
The decision finally puts paid to a £300 million-plus vision for the Snow Hill to Five Ways extension and the Black Country routes.
A bid for Government funding failed after council leaders said they were not prepared to take part in West Midlands congestion charging experiment.
