The proposed Stourbridge Dasher – which it is hoped will run between Stourbridge and Brierley Hill using a low-cost light rail vehicle – is now looking for alternative sources of funding to achieve its ambitions after the Department for Transport decided it was suitable for local funding services and not the highly-publicised Restoring Your Railway scheme.
The so-called Stourbridge Dasher would use existing railway infrastructure along with a low-cost light rail vehicle to make it a value for money service. It is planned that additional station stops would be added at Brierley Hill and at the Waterfront to provide passengers with easier access to office complexes and hospitality businesses.
After not qualifying for funding through Restoring Your Railway, the Department for Transport have now provided feedback to the project where they have said the service is compelling with strong links to the local and regional context.
Phil Evans, Managing Director at Pre Metro, said: “We’ve proved VLR to be the most reliable, frequent, and value for money option for short passenger services – and schemes like ours will truly fulfil the aim of creating accessibility across Dudley. n light of the recent ‘Restoring Your Railway’ results, we want to let local residents know that the proposed passenger service between Stourbridge and Brierley Hill is still one of our major priorities.
We would like to thank the DfT for their consideration and feedback of the project. We also want to thank Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb for her continued support for the bid and for our existing Stourbridge Shuttle operations. We will now revaluate our funding plans and establish the next steps for this project with feedback from our supporters and local policy makers.”
Pre Metro – who already operate the Stourbridge Shuttle between Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town – remain committed to the project and are now likely to seek support from the West Midlands Combined Authority to get it back on track.