New tram line will boost Dudley's economy, says transport secretary
The Midland Metro will play a 'transformative' role in regenerating Dudley and the Black Country, said Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander as she inspected progress on the new line.
Miss Alexander visited Parkhead Viaduct, about a mile from Dudley town centre, on Thursday (February 6) to officially launch the £295 million second phase of the West Midlands Metro tram extension.
The second phase will run from Dudley town centre to the Merry Hill shopping centre, via the Waterfront office park.
Earlier in the day the minister visited the Black Country Living Museum, where she heard how the first section - between Wednesbury and Dudley town centre - would boost visitor numbers when it opens later this year.
Miss Alexander said she had been hugely impressed with the museum, and hoped the link would make it easier for visitors to Birmingham to take the attraction in.
She said the museum had a target of attracting 500,000 visitors a year, but at the moment 90 per cent of these arrived by car.
"For the first time communities in Dudley and Brierley Hill are going to have a direct tram connection into the West Midlands Metro, which will allow people to get directly into Birmingham, into Wolverhampton, that means shorter journey times, better connections better access to jobs, education opportunities," she said.
She was joined by Richard Parker, elected mayor for the West Midlands, Dudley Council leader Councillor Patrick Harley, Dudley MP Sonia Kumar, and Stourbridge MP Councillor Cat Eccles.
Miss Alexander said it was also heartening to see the the 145-year-old viaduct - which is said to contain the wooden frame of an earlier bridge inside it - being brought back into use, some 32 years after it last carried a train.
"I think this area has been under-served when it comes to high-quality public transport options," she said.
"Having that direct link will be transformative.
"It's lovely, as well, to think that this old piece of railway history, this old viaduct here, later this year when phase one happens, we are going to see passengers travelling on the tram, and then when phase two finishes, those trams are going to be running over this viaduct.
"I think it's about using what we've got, making best use of what we've got, and providing a really high quality public transport service for communities."
Critics have suggested it would be better to have restored heavy rail to the line, which would allow trains to run between Walsall and Stourbridge once more.
But Miss Alexander said light rail provided similar benefits, but could be delivered more quickly.
"I think this is so critical the economic future of this part of the country," she said.
The first phase of the extension, from Wednesbury to Dudley town centre, is due to open by the end of the year, a year later than originally planned.
The Department for Transport said passengers would benefit from journey time savings of up to 30 per cent compared with taking the bus.
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