The article in Rail Technology Magazine which talks about the track sharing plan for Midland Metro extensions also has a few more bits of news which are worthy of reporting. These include news about Transport and Work Act Orders and new trams for the whole network.
Work has started on preparing a Transport and Works Act Order application for a proposed extension round Wolverhampton city centre. This would see the current St Georges terminus linked with the brand new bus and train interchange which is to cost £140 million. The line would run from St Georges to Princess Street, Lichfield Street and Pipers Row, a spur would also be built from Lichfield Street to the railway station and to Sun Street.
Progress is also being made on getting a brand new fleet of trams for the complete network – including the current Birmingham-Wolverhampton route. The new trams would make a much larger fleet and would enable a 6 minute service to be offered and would also boost reliability from the unreliable current fleet of 15/16 trams. It is expected these would be in place by 2012 and would be able to cope with the anticipated passenger figures of 8 million per annum.
Source: Rail Technology Magazine