A new interchange between bus and Metro services in Dudley will move to the next stage after it was given full planning permission. The interchange will replace the existing bus station (built in 1986) and will provide a state of the art facility which will allow passengers to easily move between the two different transport modes.
Costing £24 million, now that there is planning permission in place Transport for West Midlands and Dudley Council will move onto the next stages of the scheme including securing remaining parcels of land, finalising the detailed designs and appointing a construction contractor.
The interchange will be served by the new West Midlands Metro line which will ultimately run between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill. The first phase is due to open in 2024 and will run between Wednesbury and Dudley before the second phase through to Brierley Hill will follow subject to funding.
It will be a two storey building which will include comfortable waiting areas, shop units, live travel information screens and solar panels on the roof (to help reduce the building’s carbon footprint).
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This is another significant milestone in the development of the new Dudley Interchange and I would like to thank the planning committee for supporting this important scheme. It is clear from their decision that they recognise a modern, efficient and comfortable bus and tram interchange will not only be warmly welcomed by the people of Dudley but will also create a fantastic gateway for visitors to the town centre. Work is underway on the new Metro line and a new cross-city bus route is being established to speed up journey times to Sandwell, Birmingham and Wolverhampton. This is great news for Dudley and will vastly improve connectivity for local residents for many years to come. I cannot wait to see this scheme come to fruition and change lives for the better.”
The majority of the money for the interchange will come from the Transforming Cities Fund.