New Wolverhampton Metro extension to city's railway station to open on Sunday
Passenger services on the Wolverhampton Metro extension which will see trams connect to the city's railway station will begin on Sunday, it has been announced.
The £50 million Metro link creates two new tram stops at Pipers Row and Wolverhampton Railway Station, creating a new 720 metre route from St George’s.
It will mark an end to the project which was meant to be completed in 2019 but has been beset by budget rises and delays.
The development has been led by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), working with construction and design partner Midland Metro Alliance, operator Midland Metro Ltd and Wolverhampton Council.
Laura Shoaf, chief executive of the WMCA, which owns the West Midlands Metro, said: “It has been a complex construction process, working in a busy city centre, and we know it has been a frustrating time for local people and businesses. But it is fantastic now to see the extension ready to open and welcome passengers on board.
“As a result, Wolverhampton is now a better-connected city with the transport interchange it deserves, supporting local businesses while opening up new job and leisure opportunities for residents.
"It also makes it easier than ever to choose public transport – helping us to reduce congestion and tackle the climate emergency.
“The good news is that we are not stopping in Wolverhampton.
"Work on further extensions into Sandwell and Dudley and the Eastside of Birmingham city centre are well underway – investment in convenient, comfortable, and sustainable tram network that will benefit the region for years to come.”
Wolverhampton Council director of resident services, John Roseblade, added: “It’s great to know that from Sunday passengers will be able to use the new route developed by Midland Metro Alliance.
“Extending the Metro to the very front door of our new railway station is part of ensuring our award-winning Interchange project delivers the very best gateway to our city for all modes of transport. It is all part of how we are reimagining our city centre and better connecting passengers to events and venues like the newly-opened The Halls Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre and art gallery.”
Sophie Allison, interim managing director of West Midlands Metro, said there would be services every 10 minutes to and from the station.
She added: “Visitors from outside the area by bus or train can simply hop on a tram for onward travel to some of the region’s top cultural and sports venues, while local communities will benefit from an even better-connected transport network. We can’t wait to welcome them aboard our trams.”
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said the time it had taken to see the Wolverhampton Metro extension open had been "agonising and totally unacceptable", adding "we will make changes moving forward".
Services are expected to return to the current St George's terminus later this autumn after the team from the Midland Metro Alliance completes systems integration activities and street scene improvements there over the coming weeks.
Once opened, services will alternate between St George's, which serves the shopping district, and Wolverhampton Railway Station.
This means trams will run in and out of Wolverhampton every seven to eight minutes throughout the day.
The Metro extension in Wolverhampton has seen its £35m budget balloon to around £50m.
The project was first delayed by 18 months due to construction work at the railway station.
Metro bosses then hoped the extension would be ready for the Commonwealth Games last July but pushed back the opening date until autumn 2022.
Last October the project was again pushed back to Spring 2023, which was missed.
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.
Full timetable and ticket details are available on the West Midlands Metro website.
