After the Wolverhampton Railway Station West Midlands Metro extension missed its “end of 2021” opening date the question has been when may we start to see trams running on the new line? That now seems to have been answered with Transport for West Midlands planning on the first trams running on the extension by July 2022 – but only after further work takes place, with this due to get underway this month.
The Midland Metro Alliance are due to carry out the remaining works on the extension which will include connecting track laid last year in Railway Plaza to that which has been in place on Pipers End since way back in 2019. Its expected that work will get underway during March when the worksite boundary on Railway Drive is increased to allow track laying, paving and finishing works to commence.
Cllr Ian Brookfield, Leader of City of Wolverhampton City Council, said: “Connecting the Metro to the very front door of our railway station will deliver the best connectivity between all modes of transport. I am delighted to learn that the final pieces of track will soon be in place and that services will be running this summer. The Metro extension works is the last major cog in delivering a gateway to our city that will be the envy of towns and cities up and down the country. It is a big part of how we are re-imagining and re-inventing our city centre to help boost the local economy, create jobs and make the most of our canalside areas, where we have major housing plans.”
As well as the works to complete the track laying along Railway Drive and finishing works at Railway Plaza directly in front of the railway station, the spring and early summer months will also see further works take place on Pipers Row.
Paul Brown, Project Director at the Midland Metro Alliance, said: “Our return to the city signals a really important step in the project. We do appreciate that our works can cause disruption and we will continue to work closely with the City of Wolverhampton Council, Transport for West Midlands and railway organisations to minimise impact wherever possible.”
The Wolverhampton Railway Station will leave the existing line shortly before Wolverhampton St George’s and run along Pipers Row to Railway Drive where it will turn on the approach to the railway station. There will be one intermediate stop located adjacent to Wolverhampton Bus Station with a new terminus at the railway station. The complete extension will be built without overhead wires.
The original plan was that the extension would be served by trams every 6 minutes at peak times and 15 minutes off-peak, although whether this changes now with the reduced frequency able to run now remains to be seen. Wolverhampton St George’s will continue to be served by two to four trams an hour.
The current scene in front of Wolverhampton Railway Station where much of the track is in place but finishing works remain to be completed. (Photograph by Richard Maund, 1st March 2022)
Good to see that progress is being made once more on this vital link, but what is it about extensions to railway stations in the United Kingdom?
Will trams reach Wolverhampton Station before they reach Blackpool North Station? Who knows…… but why does it take so long to get there?
Recently, in Prague, a brand new extension to Pankrac metro station has been laid from scratch in a matter of months, alongside which a new delta junction has been laid as well as new double track, allowing the previous route to Vozovna Pankrac (Pankrac tram depot) to run on brand new track as well.
All of this alongside the new extension to Holyne from Sidliste Barrandov (eventually extending to Slivenec) and a new extension to Hlavni nadrazi (Prague Central Station) that includes a junction and a scissors crossover.
Why are we so slow in this country?
I see the new Wolverhampton station is in the colours of Wolverhampton Wanderers football club, while the trams (when they finally arrive) will carry as they do now Birmingham City or West Bromwich Albion colorus. I hope the new line when it finally opens is not operated at the snail’s pace the extension has taken to be built.
I too find it puzzling that transport infrastructure projects take so long to complete in th e Uk. I can only imagine that a cost for the job which has been grossly inflated by the contractor is agreed in advance and they dare not finish it too soon in case the council asks for a refund of some of the money.