Wolverhampton tram extension given go-ahead

Plans to extend the Midland Metro in Wolverhampton have been given the go-ahead, paving the way for the next stage in a wider £120 million redevelopment of the city centre.

The extension was given formal approval by Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, and follows a Transport and Works Act Order public inquiry last summer.

The go-ahead means preparatory work on the £18 million extension can start later this year with completion scheduled for 2019.

The route will take trams along Pipers Row, stopping outside the bus station before continuing on to the railway station which will also be redeveloped as part of the Wolverhampton Interchange Project.

The extension is expected to improve passenger connections between bus, train and tram services but also support the ongoing redevelopment of land next to the railway station, creating up to 1,400 new jobs.

Cllr Roger Lawrence, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council and West Midlands lead on transport, said:

Cllr Lawrence said the extension would provide improved Metro links to the wider West Midlands including a route through to the proposed high speed rail station and the Broad Street area in Birmingham city centre.

The work will begin after a six-week legal challenge period.