The exciting transformation of a key gateway to new areas of growth in Dudley town centre is set to take a step forward as the council looks to continue to secure further ownership of all sites needed for the redevelopment.

The £24 million Dudley Interchange, which will connect Metro and bus journeys in the town centre, will sit on the site of the current bus station and forms a crucial part of the wider regeneration of Dudley town centre.

It will link to the new Metro tram extension, currently under construction by the Midland Metro Alliance between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill.

On Thursday, Dudley Council’s cabinet will be asked to agree to make a compulsory purchase order to buy the land and rights necessary for the redevelopment in Birmingham Street, Bourne Street, Fisher Street, St Joseph Street and Trindle Road. If approved, this would need to be confirmed by the secretary of state. Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said:

"Dudley is in the middle of an exciting chapter in its history, with work on a £1billion programme of investment for the borough well under way. The new interchange will connect bus and Metro journeys in the heart of Dudley, acting as a fantastic gateway to growth for our town centre.

"We have been successfully negotiating with owners for some time, and using CPO powers will always be the last resort, but it’s something we need to be in a position to do to ensure such a key project can go ahead.

"Our existing bus station is more than 30 years old and this impressive new facility is vital for the success of the town centre and key to opening up new investment opportunities in the area."

The existing Dudley bus station was built in 1986 and is the oldest in the West Midlands. With 420,000 bus departures per year pre-pandemic it is also one of the busiest.

Transport for West Midlands, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, is leading on the Interchange project in partnership with Dudley Council. The majority of the funding is coming from the region’s Transforming Cities Fund allocation, topped up with contributions from the council and WMCA.

People can find out more about the Dudley regeneration programme at regeneratingdudley.org.uk.