A MILESTONE has been reached in the bid to extend the region’s tramline towards Dudley but passengers are set for ‘months of disruption’ while the work takes place.

A six-metre-high junction, which will connect the new extension towards Dudley and eventually Brierley Hill with the existing tram route, was revealed by West Midlands mayor Andy Street and other delegates at the Metro’s main depot in Wednesbury on Friday (February 2).

But the important work comes at a price for passengers who will be forced to find other ways of getting around. 

No trams will run between Wednesbury and Birmingham throughout the Easter holidays and evening services will be disrupted for up to a further six weeks while a new bridge is built in West Bromwich. 

Services will again be disrupted in May with trams only running as far as Black Lake from Wolverhampton to allow for more bridge work.

No trams will run between Wednesbury and Birmingham from Saturday, March 23 to Tuesday, April 9.

Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said he hoped that trams would be running through Sandwell and Dudley by the end of the year. Mr Street said the number of trams in service had been doubled to help serve the new extension.

“This is a crucial milestone in the construction of the new extension through Sandwell and Dudley and will link the new extension to the existing line,” he said. “Talked about for decades, we’re now actually making it happen.

"We’re now within touching distance and set to see a service open to Dudley within a year. This is good news for local people and businesses in Sandwell and Dudley who can look forward to a rapid and frequent tram service offering vastly improved links to the wider region. 

“Our investment in the Metro offers residents a convenient alternative to the car, helps us tackle the climate emergency and draws in investment that supports the regeneration of our much-loved towns and cities.”

West Midlands Metro said the project was entering its “final phase” and would be connecting the new track with the existing line over the Easter holiday.

At the same time, Sandwell Council said it would finish off knocking down and rebuilding the Dudley Street bridge near the Metro’s Dudley Street Guns Village stop.

The work could continue for potentially six more weeks – meaning that evening services between Wednesbury and Birmingham are also set to change.

Tram services between Wolverhampton and Wednesbury will not be affected by the Easter work.

West Midlands Metro said there would be extra disruption to the service from May 5 as Sandwell Council carries out more bridge work.

During that work, trams will only run between Wolverhampton and Black Lake.

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. The temporary adjustments to services, which will begin at Easter, will take us a step closer to connecting more communities across the region with our enhanced network.”

The extension of the Metro line between Wednesbury and Dudley will see new stations built in Great Bridge and Dudley Port before stopping at the Birmingham New Road in Tipton and then travelling on towards Dudley Castle and the town centre. 

Construction on the extension connecting Dudley to Wednesbury started last year but plans for the further extension between Dudley and Brierley Hill were put on hold because of budget problems. The money, which included £60m from the government, was then found with the West Midlands Combined Authority announcing in July last year that the work would restart.