Bosses confirm delayed Metro opening

Transport bosses have confirmed a tram extension in the Black Country will not be ready for passengers until the new year.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) said the new Wednesbury to Dudley line is in final stages of testing and commissioning, with passenger services expected to begin in early January.

Back in 2024, bosses announced the project would be delayed by two years and was expected to open this year.

TfWM commissioned an audit to look into concerns about how organisations delivering Metro programmes were working and delays including to the opening of Wednesbury to Brierley Hill phase of construction.

Auditors found a major weakness was the relationship between Midland Metro Alliance (MMA), the body responsible for network extensions, and Midland Metro Limited (MML), the company which runs and maintains the network.

Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board agreed to enter into phase two of the review at a meeting on Friday, November 13.

At the meeting, Mayor Richard Parker said he shared the frustrations of Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley and the people of the borough with the delays.

A TfWM spokesperson said: “The Metro extension between Wednesbury and Dudley is in the final stages of testing and commissioning, and we expect passenger services to begin in early 2027.

“We also anticipate beginning driver training on the line very soon.

“We recognise that residents, businesses and future passengers have been waiting longer than expected for the extension to open and that anticipated opening dates have changed as the project has progressed.

“We understand the frustration and disappointment this has caused.

“Safety is, and always has been, our overriding priority. We have consistently said that the line will only open once we are fully satisfied it is safe for passenger operations and all necessary approvals have been secured.

This is a complex engineering project involving more than four miles of track, signalling, junctions and electrical systems.

“It is only through extensive testing of every individual system, with trams operating on the route, that some issues can be identified and resolved.

“While we recognise this means waiting longer than anyone would like, we will not compromise on safety to meet a particular date.

“During this process, a safety-critical issue was identified during testing and required additional engineering work before the extension could be approved for passenger service.

“Resolving this issue took longer than anticipated and has affected the project timetable.

“The testing and safety assurance programme, overseen by independent assessors, is now nearing completion.

“Driver training will then begin – a safety-critical stage that allows time for route familiarisation, timetable testing and final operational preparations before passenger services begin.

“Passengers can have confidence that every aspect of the extension will have been thoroughly tested and independently scrutinised before it enters service.

“We are now in the final stages of the project and remain focused on delivering a safe, reliable and high-quality Metro service from day one.”

By Gurdip Thandi | Local Democracy Reporting Service