Trams return to Birmingham for first time in decades

Trams will be on the streets of Birmingham today for the first time since 1953 as the first of the new vehicles pulls into Bull Street at 7:50.

It is the first step in the opening of the £128 million city centre tram extension.

Works are scaling back in the run up to Christmas to try and minimise disruption, although some testing will continue.

The Queen inspected the tram system on her recent visit to the city.

The project includes a £40 million fleet of new trams and is expected to boost the regional economy by more than £50 million a year.

Services from New Street Station to Centenary Square are expected to start running in 2019.

Outline funding approval is also earmarked to extend the route still further along Broad Street, past Five Ways and on to Edgbaston by 2021.

The route of a further extension through Digbeth has also been chosen.