PLANS PROGRESS FOR WOLVERHAMPTON CITY CENTRE METRO EXTENSION Public consultation has started on plans for a single-track loop around Wolverhampton before a Transport & Works Act application is made in the Autumn. The £30m project has been brought forward to fit in with the redevelopment of the area around the city’s bus and rail stations, known as Interchange.
The loop will start from the present St George’s terminus along Market Street, Princess Street, Princes Square, Lichfield Street and Piper’s Row. At the end of Lichfield Street, double tracks will lead from a delta junction to the railway station, for a future route to Wednesfield, part of the 5Ws proposal. Meanwhile trams will terminate here. A delta junction at the link with the present route will form a turning loop for 5W trams. The target date is 2014. The two-track turnback layout at St George’s will be retained.
Engineering, environmental and economic studies are also underway. The subsequent design will help establish the scheme’s detailed costings which are needed for the business case due to be submitted to Government later this year. An acceptable business case is required by the DfT for funding to be released.
Peter Adams, Centro’s project director for Metro, explained: “Centro representatives will be calling on businesses along the route to gather information about how they function in terms of deliveries, parking and access. We will also be taking on board their comments about the scheme and their business needs so that we can take these into account when we draw up the detailed plans. The information will enable us to put together a robust business case for the DfT with whom we are already working closely to ensure our case meets their requirements.”
It is envisaged that approximately £20m of the £30 million cost of the Wolverhampton Loop would come from the Government under the Regional Funding Allocation. The project is earmarked to start before 2014 but Centro aims to begin work as soon as funding is made available.
Source: Graham Sidwell - Editor, Tramfare
Midland Metro – Sunday 10th May 2009
The proposed route of the Wolverhampton loop line.
An artists impression of a tram passing the Grand Theatre in Lichfield Street. As part of the plan a fleet of 25 new longer trams would be introduced with services running at a frequency of every 6 minutes. These trams would cost £45 million and would be in place before 2014.
Both Photos: Courtesy of Centro