'There will be frustration': New Black Country railway stations set to open next year delayed
Two new railway stations being built in the Black Country are set to be delayed as rising costs slow down progress.
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The stations currently under construction in Willenhall and Darlaston have been due for completion in early 2025, but now face being delayed until later in the year or even early 2026.
They are just two of a series of projects which have been hit by a £121 million rise in costs for Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
Elsewhere, TfWM bosses have confirmed schemes such as the construction of Kings Heath, Moseley and Pineapple Road stations on Birmingham's Camp Hill line, and phase one of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill tram extension would not be completed this year and instead have been pushed back to next year.
This is the second delay to the Camp Hill line project after it was originally due to be scheduled for completion in 2023.
Other schemes such as the construction of Aldridge Station, Hagley Road rapid transit, Cross City bus and Sprint Phase 2 have been either deferred or partially deferred for when future funding becomes available.
A report to the West Midlands Combined Authority Board said the ‘super inflationary’ impacts of issues such as Covid, Brexit and other global events had resulted in increased costs of energy, labour and materials.
