The leader of Dudley Council is to meet with West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker over ‘urgent concerns’ for Dudley town centre traders affected by Metro Extension and Interchange works.

Councillor Patrick Harley asked for the meeting as a follow-up to a letter he sent to the Mayor last month, to discuss the issue further, calling it an opportunity to develop effective solutions. 

In his letter, Councillor Harley had recognised the benefits the projects will bring to the town, but highlighted the significant challenges traders continue to face during the ongoing work. 

Key issues include restricted access points to the town centre, temporary walkways causing confusion for pedestrians and deterring shoppers, along with numerous diversions making it difficult to access shops. 

In his letter he shared the latest footfall figures provided by the Churchill Shopping Precinct, showing numbers for February were 144,600, down 28.7 per cent from last February, calling them ‘stark reading.’ 

Having recently been made aware of potential slippage in the completion of the Dudley Interchange project from December 2025 to Spring 2026, he said this will ‘clearly exacerbate the problems.’ 

Councillor Harley highlighted the majority of traders are not eligible for any compensation during the work, due to the eligibility criteria for the current financial support package provided by TFWM / Midland Metro Alliance and asked for this to be reviewed. 

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of the council, said: “While we recognise and appreciate the long-term benefits these infrastructure projects will bring to Dudley, the ongoing impact on local businesses has been severe and doesn’t appear to be improving, with many traders reporting significant reductions in turnover since works began. 

“The traders of Dudley town centre are vital to the economic and social fabric of our community. Many businesses have served local residents for generations, and their survival through this transitional period is essential to ensure Dudley can fully benefit from the improved infrastructure once completed.” 

Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands added: “The frustration of shops and businesses is completely understandable. Our team at TfWM have done what they can to support the Birdcage Walk shops, including dedicated marketing campaigns and organising events to draw in customers – but nothing can replace the vibrant bus station on their doorstep.

“Last year I ordered an independent review of transport projects, to get a grip of costs and timescales, and that advice has been taken on board. Key to this is ensuring that we keep a lid on costs and ensure we are getting value for money from the taxpayer – which is what we have been doing here.

“We are focused on getting the Interchange and Metro line open, bringing passengers to Dudley town centre and Birdcage Walk and giving local shops and businesses the economic boost they need.”