Metro confirm final tests have begun on £50m delayed Wolverhampton extension

The long-awaited £50 million Metro link from St George's down Piper's Row to Railway Plaza was meant to be completed in 2020 but has been beset by budget hikes and delays.

However, Midland Metro Alliance have announced the end is in sight for the major construction project to extend the line 700 metres.

On Monday, Metro bosses held a meeting with Wolverhampton Council chiefs about the final stages of the construction.

After the meeting a Midland Metro Alliance spokesperson exclusively told the Express & Star: “Over the last few weeks our construction team have been busy completing remaining activities around the Railway Plaza area, including resurfacing the highway and laying paving in public areas.

“Shortly, and following the successful completion of the first phase of testing and commissioning last month, the final stage of testing will begin and those in the area will once again see test trams running on the new route ahead of handing over to the operator for driver familiarisation in coming weeks.”

Metro bosses will not give a definitive date for its opening in case the tests are not successful and create another delay.

The project was first delayed by 18 months due to construction work at the railway station. Metro bosses then hoped the 720-metre extension would be ready for the Commonwealth Games in July but pushed back the opening date until autumn 2022.

Then last October the project was again pushed back to Spring 2023, a date which looks like it will be narrowly missed.

Forthcoming tests include ensuring the signals on Row Pipers ensure traffic and trams can travel on the same road safely. These will take place on Monday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 6. Then drivers will have to be trained to use the new extension track before timetables are created to allow passengers to begin using the trams.

Midlands Metro Alliance director Peter Cushing previously blamed "complexities" of installing the systems needed to run the trams down Pipers Row and supply chain problems for the delays.

A "key piece of infrastructure" needed to automatically control the signals on the junction of Bilston Street and Pipers Row took longer to arrive than anticipated.

The delays and supply chain issues increased the bill for the Wolverhampton extension by £10 million, the project was first projected to cost £35 million but will now cost the taxpayer £50 million.

However, when finished Wolverhampton will have one of the best connected public transport systems in the country with rail, bus and trams all stopping within walking distance of one another.