THE West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board has agreed a strategy for extending the West Midlands Metro system beyond Dudley – however, funding still needs to be sourced for the line to reach its originally-planned terminus. A year ago, the decision was made to split delivery of the Wednesbury-Brierley Hill extension into two phases because of rising costs and supply chain pressures. Work on the completion of the route as far as Flood Street in Dudley (due to open next year) continued while options were explored for additional financial support to finish the remainder of the line.
Business case approval
Subject to business case approval, a £60 million grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which was part of the region’s Deeper Devolution Deal, will be used to help cover the shortfall.
A meeting of the WMCA board on June 9 endorsed proposals to use this, combined with funding from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and funds raised by WMCA, to progress as far as Waterfront. The report to the board outlining the strategy anticipates that, with direct contributions from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, the route could be completed as far as Merry Hill, which would “remain an interim terminus”.