Work begins on Metro extension in Wolverhampton city centre
Construction work is underway in central Wolverhampton Wolverhampton for the Metro extension to the city's railway station.
Midlands Metro Alliance workers are extending the infrastructure at Pipers Row and will build a new Metro stop at Wolverhampton Bus Station.
Traffic is being diverted along other city centre roads while the work is ongoing.
Trams are expected to be using the new extension this summer, however, all trams are currently out of action until the end of May as a fault with carriages is fixed.
A spokesman for Transport for West Midlands told the Express & Star: "Work is well underway with fixing the trams and we still expect to have them working by the end of May."
Project director at the Midland Metro Alliance Paul Brown said: “Our return to the city signals a really important step in the project. We do appreciate that our works can cause disruption and we will continue to work closely with the City of Wolverhampton Council, Transport for West Midlands and railway organisations to minimise impact wherever possible."
Tracks were first laid on Pipers Row in 2019 and last year tracks to Railway Plaza were laid.
Construction workers will now concentrate on finishing work and adding the various elements which will power the trams.
Councillor Ian Brookfield, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “I am delighted to learn that the final pieces of track will soon be in place and that services will be running this summer.
"The Metro extension works is the last major cog in delivering a gateway to our city that will be the envy of towns and cities up and down the country.
"It is a big part of how we are re-imagining and re-inventing our city centre to help boost the local economy, create jobs and make the most of our canalside areas, where we have major housing plans."
The suspension of the Metro due to cracked panels has forced tens of thousands of passengers to find alternative modes of transport every day.
Midland Metro Limited forced the manufacturer, Spanish firm CAF, to replace the panels rather than repair the existing ones to "ensure the future reliability and robustness of the service".
