Midlands Metro Alliance is signed

The Midlands Metro Alliance - a partnership that plans to build four extensions to the region’s light rail system in the next ten years - was signed on July 4.

The alliance consists of Midland Metro owner the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Colas Rail, Barhale, Thomas Vale, Auctus Management Group and design experts from Egis, Tony Gee and Pell Frischmann.

“The expansion of Midland Metro is a long-term investment programme and absolutely key to the WMCA’s vision for strategic growth and regeneration,” said Transport for West Midlands Managing Director Laura Shoaf.

“The devolution deal the WMCA has signed will help secure £4.4 billion especially for our growth strategy to make the most of the HS2 rail line arriving, and as part of that the alliance has a critical role to play to deliver £1.2bn of schemes over the next decade.

“We now have the funding in place to really push on expanding the Midland Metro.”

Work is already under way extending the route from Birmingham New Street to Centenary Square, with further extensions planned to Edgbaston, Curzon Street HS2 station, and Digbeth coach station.

Permission has also been granted for an extension at the Wolverhampton end into the city centre, which is due to open along with the Centenary Square project in 2019.