The number of passengers using the Midland Metro tram rose by 100,000 over the past year as fuel prices forced people out of their cars, figures show.

However that number – 4.8 million people – is still lower than the peak of 5.4m in 2000, a year after it opened.

Transport authority Centro said it believed soaring fuel prices meant more people had decided to use the 23-stop line between Wolverhampton St Georges and Birmingham Snow Hill.

Passenger numbers had fallen in previous years with bosses blaming the positioning of bank holidays and Easter holidays so that Easter fell twice within the same financial year.

They said it meant that the typical lull in passengers had been doubled.

Mark Langford, spokesman for Centro, said: “A number of factors can affect passenger numbers. The line was closed for two weeks in 2007 after vandalism to the overhead cable.

“It is very good news for everyone that passenger figures have gone up. By taking unnecessary car journeys off the road the traffic flows more freely.”

He added: “It will also be because of factors such as the cost of fuel, which means people are seeing the benefits of the Metro.”

Light rail and tram journeys in England have reached record levels and revenues are up by nearly a tenth, according to a report by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Nationally passenger journeys increased by five per cent between 2009/10 and 2010/11 to 196.5 million – the highest figure to date.

Total revenue was up nine per cent to £20.9 million, the second highest figure ever, and £250,000 lower than the record take in 2007/08.