Metro closure sparks fears for Birmingham half marathon

Thousands of runners and spectators are being warned they face nightmare journeys to this year's Birmingham half marathon, as it emerged the Midland Metro would be out of action.

Planned maintenance on the tram line costing £400,000 starts on October 24, the same day as the annual run, closing the metro service between West Bromwich and Birmingham.

Around 12,000 runners expected to take part in the race will already have to contend with road closures in the city centre and the earliest train between Wolverhampton is not scheduled to arrive in Birmingham until 8.24am, just 36 minutes before the race starts.

The run is starting an hour earlier than last year's event, adding more pressure to runners to get to the starting line on time. Birmingham City Council spokesman Adam Snelleksz said: "We have only just been made aware of the essential work and the timing is unfortunate.

"But there are other public transport options for runners and entrants can also take advantage of our car share scheme."

Buses will be running into the city centre with the 126 leaving Wolverhampton at 6.30am and arriving into Birmingham at 7.40am. The 79 will leave at 7.19am and get in at 8.24am.

Councillors today called for more public transport to be put on. Wolverhampton mayor Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett said extra buses should be made available.

Councillor Judith Rowley said: "It smacks of a lack of joined up thinking to put up such a barrier to access."

Michael Richards, spokesman for Wolverhampton and Bilston Athletics Club, said: "It is a large inconvenience on the marathon day which is such a big event in Birmingham's calendar."

But National Express West Midlands, which runs the Metro, said it would be up to transport authority Centro and marathon organisers Birmingham City Council to commission extra services. Spokeswoman Carly O'Donnell said the earliest the Metro would have started anyway on a Sunday was 8am.

She said: " Birmingham frequently hosts major events and we have a strong, high-capacity bus service to cater for this.

"Over recent weeks the bus network has successfully carried thousands of visitors into Birmingham for the Papal visit and Conservative Party Conference, as a result we have not been asked to provide additional vehicles for the marathon." She said the situation would be monitored during the day and extra vehicles provided if required.

Some 14,000 Metro passengers a day face disruption as services are suspended until November 1, between Black Lake in West Bromwich and Birmingham's Snow Hill.