West Midlands Metro news – Page 2

  • gb Manchester Metrolink Trafford Park (Tony Miles) (1)
    Metro Report International

    English light rail support extended

    2020-08-11T12:58:00Z

    UK: The government has allocated further financial support for five tram and light rail networks in England as part of a commitment to provide £256m for bus and tram services for between eight and 12 weeks. The funding announced on August 8 aims to enable operators ‘to ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham_tram.png
    Metro Report International

    Birmingham’s Eastside tram extension approved

    2020-01-23T15:07:00Z

    UK: The Secretary of State for Transport has approved a Transport & Works Act Order granting the West Midlands Combined Authority powers to build and operate the the Eastside extension of the West Midlands Metro tramway. This line would run for 1·7 km from Bull Street in ...

  • TramCentenarySq
    Metro Report International

    Catenary-free tram extension inaugurated in Birmingham

    2019-12-11T11:03:00Z

    UK: The first phase of the Westside tram extension in Birmingham opened to passengers on December 11. The extension runs from Grand Central, which serves New Street railway station, to Library stop in Centenary Square, with an intermediate stop at Town Hall in Victoria Square. The extension ...

  • Organisations

    Midland Metro Alliance

    Established in July 2016 to oversee construction of four planned extensions to the West Midlands Metro light rail network (to Edgbaston, Digbeth, and Wolverhampton station, plus Line 2: Wednesbury – Brierly Hill). The Midland Metro Alliance comprises the West Midlands Combined Authority, Colas Rail and a consortium of design consultancies ...

  • The West Midlands Combined Authority has selected CAF to supply 21 additional battery-equipped trams for the West Midlands Metro light rail line.
    Metro Report International

    CAF wins West Midlands Metro battery tram order

    2019-10-07T11:27:00Z

    UK: The West Midlands Combined Authority has selected CAF to supply 21 additional battery-equipped trams for the West Midlands Metro light rail line from late 2021, with an option for 29 more. The £83·5m contract was announced on October 7 following a competitive ...

  • IMG_0931
    In depth

    Birmingham: All systems grow

    Development of the West Midlands tram network is being underpinned by innovative management and procurement models, allied to wider changes in the provision of public transport.

  • Birmingham - Thumbnail
    Country profile

    Birmingham (UK) - city map

    Birmingham, United Kingdom: urban area rail network map

  • Organisations

    West Midlands Metro

    Single light rail line opened 1999, with 28 stops. See Birmingham network map. Line 1 reused much of the former Great Western main line between the West Midland cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton. An extension from Snow Hill to New St (1·4 km, 3-stops) opened between December 2015 and May ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham_tram.png
    Metro Report International

    Mobile ITSO-compatible ticketing on test in Birmingham

    2018-11-21T10:55:32Z

    UK: Transport for West Midlands is trialling mobile ticketing using the UK’s ITSO interoperable specification on the West Midlands Metro tram network. The pilot project is funded by the Midlands Connect regional partnership as part of its smart ticketing programme. It is initially available for up to 500 users, ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham-westmidlandmetro-impression.jpg
    News

    Virtual view of Birmingham tram extension

    2018-10-16T13:43:51Z

    UK: Transport for West Midlands has published two computer-generated fly-through videos showing the West Midlands Metro tramway extension to Centenary Square in central Birmingham. The 840 m extension is currently under construction for opening towards the end of 2019. The video clips are taken from a computer simulation used ...

  • Midland Metro's second generation fleet of CAF Urbos vehicles entered service from 2014.
    News

    Midland Metro third-generation tram procurement launched

    2018-08-02T10:22:05Z

    UK: The West Midlands Combined Authority has begun the process of procuring a third generation of trams for the Midland Metro line, including future extensions. The start of procurement follows a market sounding exercise undertaken earlier this year. The planned framework contract with an estimated value of £150m plus VAT ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham_new_street_tram_2_03.jpg
    News

    Dudley extension receives government funding

    2017-11-28T14:27:46Z

    UK: The government is to provide £250m from its Transforming Cities Fund towards the construction of an extension of the Midland Metro light rail network serving Birmingham, the West Midlands Combined Authority announced on November 20. The 11 km branch would serve 17 stops. It would run southwest from ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham_new_street_tram_1_01.jpg
    News

    Birmingham tram extension receives government funding

    2017-09-01T10:51:36Z

    UK: The Department for Transport announced on September 1 that it is to provide £59·8m towards the construction of the Edgbaston extension of the Midland Metro tram route in Birmingham. The package means that the £149m project is now fully funded. Preliminary work started in the summer on the ...

  • Transport for West Midlands is to take over the day-to-day operations of the Midland Metro light rail line.
    News

    Transport for West Midlands to take Midland Metro in-house

    2017-03-22T14:41:17Z

    UK: Transport for West Midlands is to take over the day-to-day operations of the Midland Metro light rail line when the current contract held by National Express ends in October 2018. ‘Metro is embarking on an unprecedented period of expansion and we believe bringing services in-house will provide the extra ...

  • A Midland Metro trams has returned to CAF’s factory to be retrofitted with two lithium ion cells to enable to it to operate without catenary.
    Metro Report International

    Midland Metro tram sent for catenary-free conversion

    2017-01-20T17:06:45Z

    UK: One of Midland Metro’s Urbos trams has been returned to CAF’s factory at Zaragoza in Spain where it is to be retrofitted with two lithium ion cells to enable to it to operate over short distances without catenary. The Midland Metro would be the first modern commercial tramway in ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham_new_street_tram_2_01.jpg
    News

    Midland Metro Alliance to manage tramway expansion projects

    2016-06-29T05:00:00Z

    UK: The Midland Metro Alliance is to be launched on July 4 to bring together a team of planning, design and construction specialists which will build four light rail extensions in the West Midlands over the next decade. The alliance comprises the West Midlands Combined Authority which owns the Midland ...

  • tn_gb-midland_metro_wolverhampton_extension_impression.jpg
    News

    Midland Metro Wolverhampton extension approved

    2016-06-22T08:14:00Z

    UK: Powers to extend the Midland Metro light rail line in Wolverhampton were granted on June 21 by Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin. The Transport & Works Act Order will come into force after a statutory six-week standstill period, allowing preparatory work to begin. The £18m project ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham_new_street_tram_extension_opening.jpg
    News

    Trams start serving Birmingham New Street

    2016-05-31T09:50:00Z

    UK: The latest extension of the Midland Metro opened at 08.00 on May 30, when trams started running to New Street station in Birmingham. Test running had started on April 24. Built by Balfour Beatty, the two-stop extension from Bull Street forms the second phase of the 1·4 km ...

  • tn_gb-birmingham-midlandmetro-tram.jpg
    News

    Tests begin on Birmingham New Street tram extension

    2016-04-26T15:04:00Z

    UK: West Midlands transport agency Centro started test runs on Midland Metro’s New Street tram extension in central Birmingham on April 24, ahead of the planned opening on May 22. Test running followed electrical systems testing to ensure that the trams do not interfere with main line railway systems ...

  • Midland Metro's CAF Urbos 3 trams are to be retrofitted with batteries to enable catenary-free operation.
    News

    Midland Metro trams to be converted for catenary-free operation

    2016-02-12T11:33:00Z

    UK: The 21 CAF Urbos trams used on the Midland Metro light rail line are to be retrofitted with batteries to enable catenary-free operation, West Midlands transport agency Centro announced on February 12, and four more trams have been ordered which will be supplied with batteries already fitted. This will ...