A positive business case to expand the Midland Metro tram network is being prepared for submission to the Government next month.

Councillors on the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority today agreed the submission programme for routes to Dudley and Brierley Hill and on-street through Birmingham city centre. 

The submission of the business case is effectively an application for Government funding.  The detailed routes have already been agreed by the Secretary of State following public inquiries and endorsed by Sandwell, Dudley and Birmingham councils.

At this afternoon’s meeting councillors were told that remaining agreements with developers should be completed by the end of the week.  A steering group to take forward proposals for Birmingham city centre has worked productively to resolve outstanding issues of detail.

All the required information is in place and Centro-PTA is confident that the planned service offering 15 trams per hour through Birmingham is the best solution for passengers and that modern trams running every few minutes will do most to reduce congestion in the city centre.

To deliver a quality public transport system, the business case needs to show an operational plan that would respond to the high levels of passenger demand.  This would mean that trams are less crowded, journeys are comfortable and there is a fast and frequent service giving maximum interchange with other forms of public transport and much improved access to the city centre.