Trams are set to return to the streets of Birmingham after the Government approved Centro plans to extend Midland Metro through the heart of the city. The extension is well underway with the completion of the Great Charles Street Bridge linking the line from Snow Hill to its now on road route through Colmore Gate.
The exciting project also includes a fleet of new, bigger trams increasing passenger capacity and frequency of service to every six minutes throughout the day. The process of procurring these trams has now started.
The joint project by Centro, the Black Country and Birmingham City councils, is expected to boost the West Midlands economy by £50 million a year and create up to 1,300 sustainable new jobs. It will revolutionise the way people travel to and around the city, giving a fast link between Birmingham's two major rail stations, while delivering more than 3.5 million passengers a year right into the heart of the city's shopping district, the new shopping on the Gateway development.
It will also provide a fast link from New Street Station to the emerging business district at Snow Hill, the unique and historic Jewellery Quarter and serve as a platform for a future rapid transit network that can connect and feed into the city's forthcoming High Speed Rail terminus.
An integrated and reliable public transport system is crucial to encouraging people out of their cars, reducing congestion and carbon emissions and contributing positively to the regeneration and economy of the region.
Centro believes that Midland Metro Line 1, which operates between Birmingham Snow Hill and Wolverhampton, and proposed extensions to the existing system, will have a significant impact on the economy of the West Midlands region and will act as a catalyst for economic growth.
Midland Metro is a state-of-the art, electrically powered light rail system that provides safe, comfortable, smooth and quick transport.
Midland Metro Line 1 runs between Wolverhampton and Birmingham serving Bilston, Wednesbury and West Bromwich on the way. It has 23 stops and operates a fast and frequent service with a tram every 6-8 minutes during the daytime peak and every 10 minutes at all other times.
Line 1 opened to the public in 1999 and now carries more than 5.2 million passengers a year between Wolverhampton and Birmingham. Travel Midland Metro, part of the concessionaire Altram, operates Midland Metro seven days a week with a turn-up-and-go eight-minute frequency during the day.
Midland Metro consistently achieves 98-99% performance reliability making it the best performing public transport in the West Midlands. It is very popular with users and 17% of Metro customers gave up their car journeys to use Metro - proving it offers a real alternative to sitting in traffic queues.
Each tram carries 158 people with 56 seats taking up far less space than private cars require for this number of people.
As part of Network West Midlands, Metro is integrated with the bus and rail network. Where possible, bus stops are located next to tram stops and there is cross-platform interchange with the rail network at the Hawthorns, Jewellery Quarter and Snow Hill stops. 550 car park spaces at Park & Ride facilities are available at four Metro stops – Priestfield, Wednesbury Parkway, Black Lake and the Hawthorns. Cycle storage is available at all stops between the termini at Birmingham Snow Hill and Wolverhampton St George's.
15% of the 5.2 million passengers transfer from their car to Metro for their journey which means that an estimated 1.2 million car journeys are taken off the West Midlands' congested roads each year.
Midland Metro is environmentally friendly as power is generated by overhead electrical wires which supply a 750 volt direct current to the tram. This means that trams have zero pollution at point of use - helping to improve the air quality and noise levels in our already busy town and city streets, creating cleaner, greener and healthier town and city centres.
There is easy access and level boarding and spaces for two wheelchairs on every tram to ensure full access for people with mobility difficulties as well as those with pushchairs, buggies and luggage. The trams and tram stops will comply with the latest disability discrimination regulations.
Trams are designed with safety and security to the fore. All stops are well lit and are monitored by closed circuit television (CCTV). There are direct links via a help point intercom with the control room. CCTV is also being introduced onboard vehicles where a help point on board connects passengers to the driver. Conductors operate on each tram.
Using Metro is simplicity itself! Just get onboard and pay your fare to the conductor. A range of tickets can be purchased, including singles, returns, off- peak tickets and travel cards. The recently introduced nnetwork and nbus passes are also valid for use.
Vision for Movement
A compelling vision to transform the way people come into and move around Birmingham city centre was launched today, 11th November 2010, by business, council and transport chiefs.
The Vision for Movement documents a comprehensive network of rapid transit, bus, rail, cycling and walking routes which will aid Birmingham's economic regeneration and help cement its future as a vibrant, global city.
Creating a well connected, efficient and walkable city, finding transport solutions that are realistic and deliverable in the short to medium term and that also allow for the longer-term schemes planned in the city are outlined in the document.
The Vision is the result of a newly formed partnership between the city's business community, by way of its Business Improvement Districts (BID's), Birmingham City Council, transport authority Centro and National Express West Midlands.
