Metro delays? Walking's better for you, say public transport bosses
Midland Metro users facing delays due to long running engineering work are being handed leaflets about the benefits of walking to the station.
The leaflets and free pedometers for people to monitor their steps are being handed out by transport authority Centro at Metro stops including Wednesbury Parkway.
Centro has stressed the pedometers and leaflets are being handed out as part of a 'health travel' scheme and are nothing to do with overrunning work.
But the scheme was branded a 'cheek' as it has been launched at the same time that Metro users are having to use replacement bus services or walk the extra distance from Wolverhampton's Royal stop, as the trams are unable to get all the way to St George's in the city centre.
A £4.5 million upgrade was meant to have been completed at the end of November 2014 but is dragging on until March after an abandoned mine shaft was discovered.
Commuter Antony Ellis, aged 31, from Wednesbury was unimpressed after being handed a pedometer and a leaflet.
He said: "The timing for this is a bit of a cheek given that many people are not getting the full service they are paying for on the Metro at the moment.
"The trams broke down a lot over Christmas and for many people there was no choice but to walk."
Passenger Pat Archer said she was handed a leaflet on cycling and one on walking.
She said: "There were two people without uniforms dishing them out at Parkway. One said to me 'have a free pedometer see how many calories you're using'."
Centro said the scheme was a region wide one to encourage more people to walk to their station and was being focussed at the six railway stations and Metro stops which have the lowest numbers of people walking there.
Spokesman Peter Cameron said: "This information is being handed out at six rail stations across the West Midlands this week, including Wednesbury Parkway Midland Metro stop, as a continuation of our work to promote healthy travel options such as walking and cycling.
"The region-wide initiative costs around £5,000 and is funded by central Government's Local Sustainable Transport Fund which is specifically aimed at projects like these which encourage more people to take public transport, walk or cycle."
