It may be late – originally due to open in summer 2019 – but the latest Park and Ride site on the route of the West Midlands Metro at Bradley Lane is now open for business. The barriers were removed and the first cars welcomed shortly after midday on Thursday 6th February with all 196 parking spaces ready for action.
With construction have started back in October 2018 the development has proved to be challenging as the site required extra strengthening works because of disused coal mine shafts underneath. Apparently the Coal Authority is now using the site as a good model for construction on former mines.
Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands, said: “This is a fantastic new car park complete with almost 200 spaces, motorcycle parking, electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage, environmentally friendly LED lighting and CCTV coverage. It is offering people in this part of Walsall borough a convenient alternative to driving all the way into Birmingham or Wolverhampton and helping us to tackle congestion on our roads.”
Parking at Bradley Lane is free with the aim being to remove car journeys from the local road network to Wolverhampton and Birmingham with fast and frequent West Midlands Metro services available from the adjacent tramstop.
The new Bradley Lane Park and Ride site shortly before opening.
Access ramp from the level of the tramstop to the lower level car park.
Plenty of disabled spaces are provided in the car park.
A couple of hours before opening the Passenger Information Display scrolls the message that it will be open from midday – take our word for it! (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 6th February 2020)