Temporary terminus will allow early opening of Birmingham Metro extension

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street has announced plans to construct a temporary Metro terminus next to Moor Street Queensway to accelerate delivery of tram services to the east of Birmingham city centre.

Construction of the full line is facing delays because work on the tram track through Curzon Street Station cannot begin until HS2 have handed over the site – which is not expected to be until 2026 at the earliest.

Regional transport bosses are now set to approve plans for a temporary stop and terminus, to open in 2025/26, which will offer seamless links between the tram and train and bus services at Moor Street Station and the Bus Mall, as well as offer a convenient stop for Birmingham City University and Millennium Point.

By this time West Midlands Metro service will have been extended as far as Dudley town centre helping connect more parts of the region via fast and frequent tram services.

The project is designed and delivered by the Midland Metro Alliance (MMA) on behalf of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), to better connect the Eastside of Birmingham City Centre to the wider region.

Investment in Metro is part of the region’s plans to encourage more use of sustainable public transport to cut traffic congestion and meet the West Midland’s target for a net zero carbon region within two decades.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA said, “Despite ongoing HS2 works at Curzon Street hampering our ability to finish the full Eastside extension until Metro is able to get on-site at Curzon Street, I’m delighted we’ve found an innovative solution to part-opening the Eastside metro extension.

“Having recently opened the Wolverhampton city centre extension, we know just how popular these schemes are with the public - offering seamless connections to rail and bus services just as this extension will provide at Moor Street. As frustrating as the short-term hurdles can be, it’s important to remember over the longer term what the final prize is - a vastly improved public transport system which will serve local people and businesses for many years ahead.”

Cllr Liz Clements, cabinet member for transport at Birmingham City Council, said, “To reverse the reliance on private cars and encourage more people onto public transport, we need a fully integrated transport system – Birmingham Eastside extension is a vital part of that system.”