There will be a much reduced service on the West Midlands Metro from Saturday 23rd March as work to connect the new line to Dudley to the current tracks at Wednesbury gets underway. There will be no service between Wednesbury and Birmingham at all whilst these works take place with ticket acceptance in place on alternative transport modes.
Service changes actually get underway the week before with the following amendments now announced.
Sunday 17th March
- No trams Black Lake to Edgbaston Village from start of service until midday. Normal service from then on.
Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th March
- Trams will operate up to every 10 minutes between Wolverhampton Station and Wednesbury Parkway
- No trams between Wednesbury Parkway and Edgbaston Village
Tuesday 26th March to Tuesday 9th April
- Trams will operate up to every 10 minutes between Wolverhampton Station and Wednesbury Great Western Street
- No trams between Wednesbury Great Western Street and Edgbaston Village
Whilst the above dates will see the completion of the Metro works, Sandwell Council will still be continuing to work safely completing their bridge works on the following dates:
- Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th April
- Sunday 14th to Thursday 18th April
- Sunday 21st to Thursday 25th April
- Sunday 28th April to Thursday 2nd May
- Monday 6th to Thursday 9th May
- Sunday 12th to Thursday 16th May
During these dates there will be:
- No trams between Black Lake and Edgbaston Village after 2000
- Trams will continue to operate every 15 minutes between Black Lake and Wolverhampton Station
- Normal service continues on the whole open tramway before 2000 each day
There will also be no service between Black Lake and Edgbaston Village all day on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May.
Throughout all these closures tram tickets will be valid on National Express bus services:
- 47 between Wednesbury Bus Station and West Bromwich
- 79 between Wednesbury Bus Station and West Bromwich
- 74 between West Bromwich and Birmingham City Centre
- 101 between Handsworth and Colmore Row, Birmingham City Centre
- 80 between West Bromwich and Five Ways, Birmingham
- All services between Colmore Row and Edgbaston
Tickets can also be used on West Midlands Railway train services between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, including Five Ways (Metro season ticket holders only)
Sophie Allison, Managing Director of West Midlands Metro, said: “We understand the impact that these essential works will have on our customers and appreciate their patience during this period of disruption. We have used this opportunity to plan in some of our infrastructure investment works which will ensure that we are able to continue to provide a safe and secure, reliable and sustainable service for the many people that rely upon us every day. An enhanced timetable will also be in place from Wednesday 10 April, when customers will be able to enjoy a more frequent service throughout the day. We are looking forward to being able to connect even more communities as we take one step closer to being able to deliver a service to Dudley town centre.”