'Front door to Black Country' tourist office to open

The hub – dubbed the 'front door to the Black Country' – will be located on a new 600-space car park close to the town centre.

The car park is being built on land between Dudley Zoo, the Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Canal Trust.

It is expected to open in the spring, along with the Visitor Arrival Hub.

The car park and hub are part of a £10million plan to regenerate Castle Hill and make the area's attractions better linked.

Council leader Councillor Pete Lowe said: "This is part of our drive to make the town the capital of the Black County.

"It will be a core point between the three main attractions while also providing a hub to promote other activities and tourism in the area."

The hub will be somewhere visitors can pick up information leaflets and maps. It may also sell tickets.

As part of the scheme, a link road is being built between the attractions. New signs, seats and message boards will also be put up around Castle Hill.

A new exit from Dudley Zoo is being created next to The Fellows pub on to the Broadway.

Councillor Lowe said: "The importance of the new exit is so people can park at the new car park and be encouraged into the town through to the market place."

Currently there is no tourist information centre in the town, although visitors can get advice at the town library and museum.

As well as plans for the new hub, the council wants to create another information centre in the town centre.

Officers say this could open in a shop building and be located close to the bus station.

Another proposal being drawn up is a planned launch of a Black Country steam project at the town's museum.

It is hoped it will bring back to life old parts of industrial machinery while celebrating the area's role in the industrial revolution.