New figures reported by the Wolverhampton Express and Star have shown that Midland Metro is more popular than ever with more than a million passengers being carried on the line in November and December \u2013 a 300,000 increase. The increased passenger numbers come at a time when Midland Metro is in a major expansion programme with the line through Birmingham City Centre just the start of things to come.<\/p>\n
The figures show that in November 2016 565,419 passengers were carried (a 45% increase of nearly 170,000) and in December there were 517,126 passenger journeys recorded (29% increase).<\/p>\n
Cllr Roger Horton, lead member for rail and Metro at the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: \u201cThese increased passenger figures demonstrate why the WMCA will be undertaking a \u00a31.2 billion expansion of the tram network over the next decade and why Metro is an important component of its economic and transport strategies. These tram extensions will greatly improve connectivity between key destinations in the West Midlands, including the forthcoming HS2 stations and can be a catalyst for economic growth and jobs. While the Metro\u2019s 99 per cent per cent reliability and quick journey times have always made it popular with weekday commuters, these latest figures show big increases in weekend use which suggest many more people are now using the Metro for shopping and other leisure pursuits. It shows how improved connectivity can make the Metro an even more attractive proposition for people wanting to leave their cars at home. We are very optimistic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New figures reported by the Wolverhampton Express and Star have shown that Midland Metro is more popular than ever with more than a million passengers being carried on the line in November and December \u2013 a 300,000 increase. The increased … Continue reading