Pre Metro Operations Limited – operator of the Stourbridge to Stourbridge Junction service – have just started another public consultation of the proposed “Dasher” service which would run between Stourbridge and Brierley Hill. Since previous research was conducted the West Midlands Metro line to Brierley Hill has begun construction so this new service would connect Stourbridge to this extension.
A previous survey took place between November 2019 and May 2020 and in that 88% of the 1,438 responses were positive towards the plans. This latest round of consultation is now aimed at local businesses to get their views on the proposals.
Steve Jasper, Operations Director of Pre Metro, said: “We are confident that the passenger service from Stourbridge to Brierley Hill will benefit everyone along the route and beyond – businesses, commuters, shoppers and leisure travellers. The survey will provide further data to support our proposals.”
It is hoped that the consultation will allow a greater understanding of the impact the proposed service could have on local businesses ability to recruit and retain suitable staff alongside the knock-on effect in terms of sales and prosperity with the easier accessibility and passenger footfall from the “Dasher”.
Businesses within 1km on the planned route are being contacted to be included in the consultation with the results due to be revealed in early 2024.
Well, if this project was in a European Conurbation it would be a ‘no brainer’ for building! In fact it would have been built eons ago, and the whole ex Heavy Rail line South to North through Wednesbury, Walsall and Brownhills onwards to Lichfield would still be extant and used as a diversion for container freight trains, such as Tesco’s to Scotland and Passenger Regional Rail. But hey ho, I’ve lived in the area for decades, a SLUG (Stourbridge Line User Grandee), so what do I know? I and others muse on the time scale for building the Metro from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill?
I fully agree with the above. I have long thought it was near-criminal to abandon this moth-balled or near intact rail route between Stourbridge and Lichfield. It should be not only a strategic freight route but also a commuter route with the further route possibilities by extending services either end eg Worcester to Crewe.
I love trams but their implementation should not be at the expense of viable regional/national rail routes. The flexibility to trams should allow for a different route for them to get to Dudley and Brierley Hill which, if you look at the map, could even be made to be a shorter distance to central Brum (although I admit I am not very familiar with the area).
This country closed rail lines to save money, closed thousands of tram routes to please the car lobbies then tried to bring them back by putting them where the trains used to run, leaving us with regional light rail where we need heavy rail and cars and buses where we need trams. World beating Britain.