Traffic chaos looms as Midland Metro extension hits city centre
Traffic diversions will be in place for five months on a main city centre route as work starts on the £15 million Midland Metro extension.
From tomorrow there will be lane restrictions in Wolverhampton city centre along Bilston Street up to Market Street.
It comes amid warnings of traffic misery on the city's roads, as work starts on the scheme to extend the existing Metro line to Wolverhampton's railway station.
The line is currently closed between the A41 Bilston Road stop Priestfield and Wolverhampton St Georges for tram track maintenance, which traders say has left them fearing for their livelihoods.
Bosses say that for the next five months there will be 'some lane restrictions' in place on Bilston Street, starting with one lane closure, although traffic will still be able to move to and from the city centre.
Labour city councillor Harman Banger has warned the work had had a devastating impact on local businesses along the route.
They said the work had been scheduled to take place at the same time as the Bilston Road job so as to 'minimise the level of disruption to travelling passengers and businesses'.
Alejandro Moreno, Midland Metro Alliance director, said: “We recognise that no-one welcomes disruption, but these works represent an exciting forthcoming extension to the tramway in the region.
"The Midland Metro Alliance will continue to work with stakeholders and keep them informed on how the works are progressing throughout the duration of the project.”
The first stage of the extension will see land surveys take place, while hundreds of metres of existing track will be torn up and replaced when construction work starts in the coming weeks.
Once complete the line will run from Bilston Street along Pipers Row and Railway Drive.
The work will be carried out by the Midland Metro Alliance; a team of planning, design and construction specialists responsible for building a number of new tram extensions across the region over the coming decade on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Engineering work at the site has already taken place, including the relocating and protection of underground gas, water and electric supply pipes and cables in Pipers Row.
Wolverhampton St Georges and The Royal tram stops both closed last month, meaning people travelling to work in Wolverhampton by Midland Metro have been forced to leave the tram at The Crescent and take a replacement bus into the city centre.
For more information visit www.metroalliance.co.uk
