West Midlands public transport bosses have reaffirmed their commitment to running trams on the streets of Birmingham – ahead of a city council feasibility study into an underground system.
“We believe the city centre extension of the Midland Metro from Snow Hill to Five Ways needs to go ahead. The scheme has been worked up in detail and Government has approved a funding package in principle – we should grasp the nettle and get on with it,” says Cllr Gary Clarke, chairman of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority.
He said the Line One extensions through Birmingham city centre and from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill were long-term commitments of the PTA and all seven West Midlands district councils.
A development plan for the Midland Metro has been agreed by councillors to allocate £400m out of the extra £1bn Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announced for the region for an initial three-line extension to the tram network over the next decade.
The first phase would provide new lines from Wolverhampton to Walsall; from Quinton along the Hagley Road through Birmingham city centre to Eastside; and north from Birmingham along the A34 to Great Barr. It would cost £570m and envisages trams running from 2011.
This would then be followed by a link from Walsall to Wednesbury and a Metro line to serve Birmingham International Airport and the NEC.
Within these proposals Centro, the public transport body which carries out the policy of the PTA, has previously stated its belief that there is capacity for one or two tram lines running through Birmingham city centre streets. There would be an issue for some of the Phase Two routes gaining access to the city centre and an agreement to look at underground options was included in public consultation during 2003.
Centro director general Rob Donald denied however that any funding contribution towards Birmingham City Council’s underground feasibility study might indicate a change of heart.
“Centro has been consistent in terms of its approach to Metro development in Birmingham. We have not changed our mind,” he says.
“We continue to believe that the street-running section of Midland Metro between Birmingham Snow Hill and Five Ways should go ahead. This is the fastest way to provide a public transport system worthy of a major European city. It would give excellent access for the city centre and be highly visible,” he adds.
In drawing up proposals for such a major improvement to public transport, Centro has previously highlighted the benefits of street-running trams that are now becoming commonplace in cities across Europe. Tram systems provide superior levels of access because they use low-floor vehicles and can have frequent stops which integrate easily with bus services, pedestrian areas and other public transport. Underground systems, which are also more expensive to build and run, require escalators for people to reach the tunnels and have proved less popular with passengers.
Related release: West Midlands to press on with £570m Metro plan
