'We’ve lost an awful lot of traders' - ‘Devastating’ impact of three major transport projects on struggling Dudley businesses with no end date in sight

Councillor David Stanley said people are demanding to know how much longer they have to put up with works as they await the completion of projects in the town centre.

Schemes to build a new transport interchange on the site of the former bus station, an extension of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro and a major road improvements scheme on Burnt Tree Junction are currently ongoing.

Construction work on Phase One of the Metro is finally nearing completion after being hit with delays while transport bosses said the Interchange – which will connect bus and Metro services – should be completed by the end of Quarter 2 (June) this year.

The Burnt Tree project, which started in November last year, is due to last a total of nine months.

But Councillor Stanley, who represents Gornal ward, said the disruption had resulted in the town losing a number of traders and the cumulative impact of all three schemes happening at the same time was making the situation worse.

At a Transport Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, he said: “The bus station has been closed for a number of years. It’s caused an awful lot of problems with the disruption of buses around town.

“We’ve lost an awful lot of traders, the market is more or less depleted now with about half a dozen traders left. It’s having a devastating effect on the businesses in Dudley and there is still no completion date for it.

“That’s what people are asking. ‘How much longer have we got to put up with this nonsense we’ve had for the last four years?’ The Metro is costing an awful lot of money and people are criticising now what a huge waste it is and we’re seeing nothing for it other than the loss of trade in the town.

“Work has now started at Burnt Tree which is having an even worse effect on the town getting in and out of Dudley. We’ve got three issues going on all at the same time putting the traders out of business.”

Jo Shore, Director of Delivery, Transport for West Midlands, said the Metro construction work was almost complete.

But the project had been hit with issues last year which had caused delays including an unsecure embankment in Tipton, which required a retaining wall to be built to prevent further landslips.

There was also further investigative work needed to some Victorian canal bridges.

Councillors also queried why driver training hadn’t already been carried out for the new line.

Mrs Shore said there will be a period of testing and commissioning on the line to make sure it is safe and ready before it is handed over for driver training.

She added they are also waiting for the ‘Buy Before You Board’ scheme to get up and running which will free up tram conductors to be retrained as tram drivers. Test trams will be running soon, she said.