£4.5m work on Wolverhampton Metro to overrun - as transport bosses admit 'no date set' for completion

Transport bosses admitted there was 'no date set' for the completion of the St George's tram stop in the city centre.

The 12-week project began at the start of September and was due to finish at the end of this month. But The Royal stop, on Bilston Road, will not re-open until the first week in December, with St George's expected to open after that.

The work has caused delays and diversions, particularly around Bilston Street Island. Transport authority Centro blamed problems with underground utilities not being where they were supposed to be. Passengers currently have to get off at Priestfield and get a bus to the city centre.

A new team of nine specialist rail installers have been recruited to ensure that work can be completed as soon as possible, while on-site staff are now working 12 hour days.

Paul Griffiths, metro programme director, said: "We had hoped we would have the whole lot open for the end of November but a number of issues have come up as the job has gone on and we have excavated the ground we are working on.

"The plan now is that The Royal stop will be open for the beginning of December and we hope the rest of the work will be done a short time after that though there is no date set. We will be working flat out.

"The new passenger experience on our Urbos 3 trams will be much smoother, quieter, faster and enjoyable.

"This work is being done to improve transport links in the city and I am confident that people will understand the benefits of what we have done when they are up and running.

"Any passenger will be able to recognise the difference in quality straight away.

"We are expecting the number of people who use the metro service in Wolverhampton to really improve over the coming years.

"The feedback we have had from people using the new trams has been really positive so far."

Roadworks causing diversions as a result of issues with the tram project and various other work has caused chaos in the city over recent weeks.

A new fleet of Urbos 3 trams will be able to use the new extended platforms.

Mr Griffiths said: "These roadworks are an unavoidable part of the improvements we are trying to make.

"We appreciate that it has been a disruption for people over recent weeks but we have had to face issues we didn't anticipate."

The upgrade work will include the creation of a new crossover at The Royal which allows trams to 'cross over' to the other tracks for a return journey.

Installing this crossover will help maintain tram operations if there was ever a problem at the St George's end of the route.

This would allow trams to turn around at The Royal, rather than at Priestfield as they currently do, and ensure more of the system remains open.

Mr Griffiths added of the roadworks problems: "It is unfortunate that the roadworks have caused trouble for people, but we have to try and get the best service together that we possibly can for the people of Wolverhampton city."

City tram passengers are able to use their tickets on buses while part of the track is closed.

Some of the work taking place around the junction of Piper's Row has helped pave the way for future construction of the planned Midland Metro extension to Wolverhampton railway station.

That will see the line, which now ends opposite the city's police station, extended past the bus station in Pipers Row and along Railway Drive, where it will go past the car park towards Wolverhampton train station.

The line is also being extended in Birmingham.

Tracks have recently been laid along one side of the main shopping avenue Corporation Street as part of the £128 million project, with work continuing on the links around Colmore Row.

As part of the scheme workers are also extending the depot at Wednesbury.

The depot will accommodate the 20 new trams that will also be provided as part of the project.

Drivers were sent on a one-mile diversion around Wolverhampton after roadwork signs saying Bilston Street Island was shut were mistakenly left on display.

The road problems caused by the Centro work are part of more than a dozen that have driven motorists round the bend in recent weeks, including work to pedestrianise parts of the city centre.

That work, by Wolverhampton City Council, will stop at the end of November to ease the pressure around Christmas before restarting in the new year.