Construction of next Metro extension moves to Dudley town centre

Work on the next phase of the Metro tram extension in Dudley town centre is set to start next month.

This second phase will take trams from the town centre to Merry Hill Shopping Centre and work is already under way at several locations along the route - with new activity set to begin soon along the Duncan Edwards Way dual carriageway.

Contractor Midland Metro Alliance will be ramping up the work which means that one lane of the dual carriageway will be restricted from 10th August. A lane will be closed for several weeks before reopening in September as post-summer holiday traffic increases. A reduced 30mph speed limit will remain in place while work continues at the roadside.

Meanwhile, essential safety testing continues on the Metro route between Wednesbury and Flood Street in Dudley, as part of preparations to open the first phase to passengers later this year.

The Metro construction is picking up pace following the completion, after nine months, of roadworks on the busy Burnt Tree junction nearby. This activity is one of the first of Transport for West Midlands’ (TfWM’s) bus priority projects which will improve traffic flows, make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate and make journey times reliable on bus services between Dudley and Birmingham.

While the main work is finished, transport engineers will continue to monitor traffic levels and fine-tune the signal timings over coming weeks to optimise the traffic flow.

Claire Williams, TfWM director of network resilience, said: “To keep disruption to a minimum we have waited for work at Burnt Tree to wrap up first before starting on Duncan Edwards Way – where lane closures are being carefully planned to work around busy travel times.

“This is all about building a modern transport network to serve residents, businesses and visitors to Dudley town centre for many decades to come.”

The Metro extension and Burnt Tree junction improvements are being developed by TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), in collaboration with Sandwell and Dudley councils.

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for Economy and Infrastructure, added: “The Metro extension is one of the most important transport investments our borough has seen in a generation.

"It will provide reliable, sustainable public transport links between Dudley town centre, Merry Hill and destinations across the wider West Midlands.

“As work progresses on this next phase, we are another step closer to unlocking better transport connections, supporting economic growth and creating new opportunities for residents, visitors and businesses.”

Work to complete a cycle lane link to the new Dudley Interchange will also start later this summer and involve a temporary lane closure on Trindle Road.

For full details road works and traffic updates visit the TfWM website.