Midland Metro extension link between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill back on track after funding agreed

Leading councillors have agreed to plough £100,000 into the scheme to bring the proposal up to date to finally get it off the ground.

And officials have warned 'work needs to start in earnest' to present revised plans before possible funding could be lost.

Plans to extend the Metro between the two towns had been dogged by delays after successive governments failed to commit to funding.

But the leader of a Black Country council say the £1 billion funding package agreed with the Chancellor George Osborne can secure its future.

Dudley Council leader, Councillor Pete Lowe, says council leaders are in support of the proposals through the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The Black Country Executive Joint Committee has granted approval for £100,000 of funding to be put towards developing the scheme.

The money will be spent on revamping outdated plans and costings for the scheme created when it was in its infancy.

Officials say work to update the proposals will gather pace during the new financial year after the funding was agreed.

The proposed scheme runs for around seven miles from the existing line at Wednesbury to Great Bridge.

It would continue to Horseley Heath, Dudley Port, Dudley town centre, the Waterfront and Merry Hill, before terminating at Brierley Hill town centre.

A report to the committee said: "Following the West Midlands Combined Authority Devolution Deal announced by George Osborne on Tuesday 17th November, the Department for Transport (DfT) have provisionally allocated funding to the proposed East/West Metro link.

"The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro forms part of this wider scheme.

"The scheme has been identified as a priority for a number of years within the Black Country."

It added: "In light of the recent decision, a refresh of the scheme, design and business case needs to be undertaken. The review work would be undertaken by Centro and the appointed framework consultants to review the business case, scheme programme and costs to accurately reflect 2016 prices.

"The work needs to start in earnest now to allow the scheme to meet the DfT requirements and prevent the funding offer from the DfT being withdrawn."

Councillor Lowe said: "A lot of the pre-preparatory work was done many years ago but of course the funding has never been available."