Free car park at Bradley tram stop finally opens
A long-awaited free park and ride facility built at a cost of £2.6 million for Black Country tram passengers has finally opened its gates.
Motorists can now park for free at the West Midlands Metro stop in Bradley Lane, between Bilston and Wednesbury, where there are spaces for 196 cars.
Bradley is the only part of the track, which runs between Wolverhampton and Birmingham city centre, to cross into Walsall borough.
The new car park, almost a decade in the planning, has opened weeks after the metro route was extended at Centenary Square and Victoria Square in Birmingham city centre following the completion of the first phase of the Westside extension.
The construction of the car park proved challenging as the site required extra strengthening works due to the presence of former coal mine shafts underneath.
The completed project has since won the praise of the Coal Authority which is now using it as a model for construction on other former mines.
Leader of Walsall Council, Councillor Mike Bird said: “This car park offers the people of Walsall an easy way to travel about the region using the Metro.
“The playing fields will also be improved to benefit the whole community around Bradley Lane with new grass and lining, and enhanced drainage.”
There is no charge to use Bradley Lane car park.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “This is a fantastic new car park complete with almost 200 spaces, motorcycle parking, electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage, environmentally friendly LED lighting and CCTV coverage.
“It is offering people in this part of Walsall borough a convenient alternative to driving all the way into Birmingham or Wolverhampton and helping us to tackle congestion on our roads.”
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is investing in new park and ride facilities across the region to encourage greater use of public transport, to ease congestion and improve air quality.
