Background

Development of a Midland Metro Network has been a key transport priority for the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) and one that is supported by District Leaders, who have authorised Metro Development Plan funding to be set aside as part of the PTA Budget.  Most recently, in March this year, as well as progressing the implementation of the two Phase 1 Extensions, the PTA approved the package of Metro Phase 2 proposals as Phases 2(a) and 2(b).  Development of Midland Metro requires approvals by both the PTA and by individual District Councils to any proposals within their district areas.

Phase 1 Extensions

In June 2000, Centro submitted an Initial Outline Business Case to Government for the two Phase 1 Extensions; the Birmingham City Centre Extension (BCCE) and the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Extension (WBHE).  This showed that the economic case for implementing both extensions is strong.  It indicated how this scheme might be procured and financed and to secure Government approval to proceed to the next stage of the project.  The Government formally approved the IOBC submission during December 2000.  This was an ‘Approval In Principle’ by the Government to fund 75% of Capital Cost of the Project.  The 25% “Local Contribution” is being secured through developer contributions and S106 Planning Gain Agreements for both schemes.  It is intended to procure both schemes as a single project.

There was generally good support for the BCCE scheme in principle, with most objections relating to detailed matters affecting specific landowners.  Of the 143 objections made for the BCCE 86 were withdrawn following consultation and only 7 objectors actually appeared at the Public Inquiry.  Travel West Midlands lodged a late objection to the scheme regarding capacity of the City Centre Bus Mall.

The BCCE is currently awaiting the Government granting of the TWA Order.  The main outstanding issue is for the City Council to approve revisions to the Bus Mall following the objection of TWM at the TWA Inquiry.  Both Centro and TWM supported an outline solution presented at an officers’ workshop in June.  It is anticipated that Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet will consider a report on this in November 2004.

Phase 2 Extensions

In March 2004 District Leaders agreed prioritisation of the Phase 2 network into 2a and 2b following pubic consultation and endorsed development funding held by the PTA.  This includes the following corridors:

• Varsity North – A34 corridor from Birmingham city centre to M6 junction 7 including park and ride; (2a)

• Birmingham West – A456 corridor (Hagley Road) to M5 junction 3 again including park and ride (this route would be a continuation of Birmingham City Centre Extension); (2a)

• Eastside Spur – terminating near Duddeston Station; (2a)

• Wolverhampton to Walsall – via Willenhall and Wednesfield; (2a)

• Walsall to Wednesbury (2b)

• Airport Route – A45 corridor from Birmingham city centre to Birmingham International Airport (2b)

Work is underway on the route option development work for the three “2a” corridors above which, as well as engineering feasibility, will include initial environmental and economic work that will be undertaken to establish the most viable options under the Government’s NATA assessment criteria.

Previous work undertaken in partnership with Birmingham CC identified that there would be an issue for some of the Phase Two routes gaining access to the city centre above and beyond the two surface running tram lines detailed in paragraph 6.1 below.  Therefore an agreement to examine underground options to deal with the remaining Phase 2 and Phase 3 routes was included in public consultation during 2003.  Prior to the local elections taking place in June 2004, Centro was in the process of developing a brief for this to be investigated. 

Further work is required to develop suitable route alignments.  Once District Councils and PTA have approved these, Outline Business Cases for these routes will be prepared.  This will involve developing the technical work for the chosen option to the next level of detail, further refining the economic case for the scheme and developing the funding and procurement strategy for the implementation of the three extensions.

Underground Study

Following  local Council elections in June, the new City Council leadership confirmed that there should be a feasibility study of an underground system in central Birmingham for expanding Midland Metro.  In view of this, it will not be possible to progress either the implementation of the Phase 1 Extensions or to finalise the design development process for the Phase 2 Network until the outcome of this investigation is known.  The City Council has commissioned consultants Jacobs to undertake this work, which is due to report in May 2005.  This process has resulted in a large degree of uncertainly over the implementation of the Phase 1 BCCE as well as the development of the Phase 2 Network in Birmingham.

The PTA has a clear policy supporting the early development of Metro Line 1 extensions.  Centro’s advice following the TWA Inquiry is that there is enough capacity for one or two tram lines running through Birmingham city centre streets. 

The underground study being undertaken by Birmingham CC is being undertaken in three stages:-

• Stage 1 – Review the historic work undertaken on underground running and surface running and develop options worthy of being considered in further detail;

• Stage 2 – Develop engineering designs and costings for the chosen options; and

• Stage 3- Examine the economic justification and funding potential of the chosen options.

Centro has been consulted in the preparation of the study brief and sat on the Appointment Panel for this work.

Centro’s advice is that the proposal for a total underground solution would be prohibitively expensive and would not meet Government’s value for money criteria.

Nevertheless, the consultants chosen to do the work would be appropriate for looking at future underground access for Metro schemes once the street running section is in operation.  Centro believes that this work would cost £50,000 to undertake and recommend a funding contribution to that level to be approved.