Just when you thought it may be safe to venture out on the West Midlands Metro and enjoy a tram ride from one end to the other comes more news of essential works meaning a revised service will be running again. We already have trams terminating at The Royal at one end of the line to allow for driver training to take place and now comes confirmation that Library will again be a terminus at the other end with works needed on Broad Street during September.
Trams have been running through to Edgbaston Village on the Birmingham Westside extension since July 2022 but despite the length since the opening there still remains some finishing work to take place along Broad Street. This means the road will be closed to both other vehicles and trams between Sunday 10th and Saturday 16th September.
During this period the following tram service will operate:
- Every 10 minutes between Library and The Royal
- No service will run from Library to Edgbaston Village and The Royal and Wolverhampton St George’s
Workers from the Midland Metro Alliance have already been involved in these finishing works – which include snagging works – since the line opened but the next stage will requires the road to be closed to other traffic. The latest phase will include resurfacing crossing points.
To expedite the works and minimise overall disruption ahead of planned works including Freshers Week, construction is planned to take place during both day and night time hours.
And there will also be a further closure of the entire line on Sunday 24th September until midday. This will be the third such closure of the line on a Sunday morning to allow for these power works to take place and means no trams run on any of the line until midday and from then it will resume between Edgbaston Village and The Royal only.
Eventually, when all these works are done and driver training is completed we may actually see a service from Edgbaston Village to Wolverhampton Railway Station. And then St George’s should be reopened as well. No clue on a final date for this to happen yet though.
No driver training from The royal to Wolverhampton railway station today ,
faulty signaling on the extension side
Birmingham City Council in dire financial straits according to national media today. Not sure how much cash they contribute towards the running of the West Midlands Metro but the latest news sounds very concerning not only for transport but all the other council services in the city.
They’re messing about with this extension line opening date, might as well they’re returned to normal to St George’s ??♂️???
West Midlands Metro seems always to be interrupting service for various reasons. Too bad for those people who need a reliable and dependable service, and as effectively a single route, it’s hardly what one might expect from a tramway system in the Second City in other countries close to the UK. It is far from what was promised back in 1989.