Birmingham has been on a mission to deliver better public transport over the last 10 years. Its Metro tram system has been around since 1999 but since 2015 it’s been undergoing mega expansions into the wider West Midlands region. Now, plans have been unveiled for one of the biggest Metro expansions yet.
Construction is already underway to build a tram line from Moor Street Queensway to Curzon Street Station, but now huge £1 billion proposals have just been revealed to extend it another 17km eastwards.
The Metro line would link east Birmingham to north Solihull, going through the city centre, Digbeth and Bordesley Green and past key sites like Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre. It’ll terminate at the HS2 interchange at Arden Cross. It would also serve the new Birmingham City FC Stadium and a sports quarter that’s expected to open by 2030.
Birmingham Live revealed last week that there have been high level negotiations going on between senior officials over the last few weeks. It said that the significance of the project is ‘comparable to building a new runway at Heathrow Airport’.
Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, said: ‘This is a massive opportunity for our region and the city of Birmingham and my role is to use my powers and commitment to ensure this happens quickly.
‘What often happens is we need public funds to create infrastructure to lure in investors, in this case that has been turned on its head. We are connecting up a necklace of opportunity from the city centre out to north Solihull.’
Birmingham City Council added: ‘These connections will be powerful anchors for inclusive growth, opening up access for opportunity, attracting new investment and making it easier for people to get to work, education and training.
‘This nationally significant infrastructure will change lives. We're excited to get started, and determined to make it work for everyone.’
It’s hoped that trams will run every six minutes at peak times. If it gets the green line, the first phase of the line could be complete in five years, with the whole line finished within ten years.
Did you see that a direct train could soon link Brighton and Newcastle for the first time?
Plus: Inside £1 billion for the ‘Welsh Tube’.
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