Metro trams sidelined until end of May

West Midlands Metro trams are not expected to run again until the end of May.

In March, new cracks were found in panels on some vehicles, leading to the fleet being withdrawn from service. It is the third time in nine months that the service they provide has either been cut back or withdrawn completely.

Operator Midland Metro Limited said it has completed a detailed assessment of the fleet and asked manufacturer CAF to provide new panels rather than repair the damaged ones. It apologised to its customers, saying it “shares their frustration”.