Final plans for a £430m expansion of the Midland Metro are ready to be submitted to Government. Centro-PTA councillors are now expected to approve the details at a special meeting on Monday (24 April). (update at Monday 3.30pm: the recommendation was passed unanimously)
The business case submission, which would follow the meeting, is effectively a bid for £322m of Government funding. The document shows a strong business case and highlights the fact that the required level of local contribution has been identified.
A report to Monday's meeting of the Passenger Transport Authority sets out the details of how new lines through Birmingham city centre and from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill via Dudley would be funded and built. The plans show trams running in early 2012.
“We are really pleased to be in a position where we can finally get our business case into Government,” says Centro-PTA chairman Cllr Gary Clarke.
“The expanded Midland Metro network will provide an excellent level of service for passengers. Frequent high-capacity trams will provide a real boost to the accessibility of Birmingham city centre and the Black Country - with excellent links between shops, homes, offices, rail stations and major new developments. It will make a real impact on our campaign to cut congestion for everyone,” adds Cllr Clarke.
As well as improving the environment in Birmingham city centre, the Midland Metro extensions will provide high-quality public transport through both residential and commercial areas of the Black Country along a route from Wednesbury to Dudley and Brierley Hill. It will give direct access for people to Wolverhampton, Birmingham and West Bromwich centres, as well as supporting the regeneration of significant areas along the route and development of Merry Hill and Brierley Hill.
Extensions to the Midland Metro were given planning approval by the Secretary of State last year following two public inquiries. Agreements have since been reached with developers and local authorities that clear the way for the plans to move on to the next stage.
Birmingham City Council has set out its support for the scheme in a letter to Cllr Clarke. It says that whilst there are a number of outstanding issues to be discussed by the city’s Cabinet on 1 June they believe these can be resolved within the parameters of the Outline Business Case and recognise the importance of its earlier submission to Government.
The business case shows the benefits of expanding the Metro would far exceed the costs and figures show it would be classed as ‘good value’ in line with the latest Department for Transport guidance.
Once the business case has been submitted it is hoped that the Government will grant ‘conditional approval’, giving the green light to go out to tender for three separate contracts for building the line, supplying the trams and operating the network - an approach that has already received a warm response from a Government keen to reduce the risk of cost escalation.
Latest figures estimate the cost of building the new lines to be £384m after an allowance is made for inflation up to the year 2012 when the trams will be running. Around three-quarters of the cost would come from Government, while the remaining local contribution has already been earmarked by local councils and private sector funding. Recent discussions with Government have allowed Centro-PTA to include some earlier costs into the funding bid and this will reduce the overall cost to tax payers by over £38m.
“We have put together a very solid case for expanding the Midland Metro. The planning inspectors have already ruled overwhelmingly in favour at public inquiry stage; we have the backing of the business community and local councils; now we can show that the business case more than meets Government targets for funding approval,” comments Cllr Clarke.
“The submission of this business case is an important part of our mission to bring quality public transport to the people of the West Midlands,” he adds.
