West Midlands Metro bosses reveal plans to 'fairly compensate' travellers amid suspension

The network has been suspended for a little over a week and will be for at least another three weeks, after cracks were found on Spanish-made CAF trams for the third time in the last two years.

It sparked a furious response from commuters who say the suspension has left them faced with gridlocked roads and cramped trains as alternatives.

Now Metro bosses have unveiled plans to compensate people impacted by the move.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) interim managing director Anne Shaw, apologised for the inconvenience caused. She said: "Our passengers are always our priority and in light of these unusual circumstances, we want to ensure that customers are fairly compensated while our tram services are not operating."

She said that over the coming days direct debit customers will be contacted individually and informed of the suspension or reduction of their payments.

Meanwhile reduced payments are being applied to customer accounts in lieu of the period of time that trams will not be operating.

"We will also be contacting non-direct debit customers informing them of their ticketing options going forward," she added.

Metro tickets are being accepted with bus and rail operators until December 5, while Metro tickets and passes that have already been bought will be accepted on a number of alternative transport options until then.

They are: the 74 bus service Birmingham and West Bromwich; the 79 bus between West Bromwich and Wolverhampton; bus services 16 and 101 between Birmingham and Handsworth; and all train services between Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Bosses say that after this time passengers will be asked to use the "most convenient alternative transport modes available to them" to complete their journey.