A future mini-tram service may run seven days a week between Stourbridge Town and Stourbridge Junction when a new company takes over from Central Trains.

Councillors believe a ten-minute shuttle service could build on the success of the trial operation that has been running on Sundays for the past year.

Rail companies bidding to take over from Central Trains are being urged to draw up plans to offer Stourbridge passengers the improved service.

Centro-PTA has helped fund the trial by the Parry People Mover railcar.  Although this comes to an end next week (Sunday 3 December*) the regional transport body believes it has shown the way forward.

The Parry People Mover, which has been developed by a Black Country firm, is described as a unique vehicle that combines flywheel technology and a gas-powered engine to make it very cheap and clean to run.

The experimental service on the Stourbridge branch line has proved popular with passengers, especially as it restored a Sunday service for the town.  The lightweight railcars have proved to be 100 per cent reliable on most days, with almost 99 per cent of services running on time.

“The trial we have helped fund has shown how this new, locally-developed technology is able to provide a frequent, safe and reliable passenger service,” comments Cllr Keith Chambers, Centro-PTA lead member for rail.

“When the new rail franchise takes over from Central Trains, we think there is real scope for the heavy-rail service on the Stourbridge branch to be replaced by a more frequent seven-day shuttle service using lightweight railcars.  We are urging the companies now bidding for the West Midlands franchise to make this a part of their plans,” he adds.

* (Footnote: Although funding came to an end on 3 December, Pre-Metro Operations Ltd are, we understand, continuing to run the service for at least another two weeks)