First West Midlands trams to Millenium Point

 

An overnight test in Birmingham on 5/6 August saw the first Midland Metro trams running over the first stage of the Eastside extension to reach Millennium Point. The next stage will take trams past the new Curzon Street HS2 station to reach Digbeth Coach Station, but this is awaiting further completion of the HS2 project. Beyond Digbeth it is planned to take trams east again to the new Birmingham City FC stadium and Sports Quarter. 

 

The first stage extension runs from a triangular junction with the existing line at Lower Bull Street and feature stops adjacent to Moor Street station and the Birmingham City University campus at Millennium Point. The overnight tram tests will continue for a few weeks as Midland Metro Alliance engineers test the line and fine tune the track before it is handed over to West Midlands Metro for driver training and timetable testing. Passenger service should start in the late autumn. 

 

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said, 'Our plan to extend the Metro network to East Birmingham and Solihull is crucial to unlocking the £3bn private sector investment in our new Sports Quarter, which in turn will create huge opportunities for communities that have been held back for too long. These successful tests show how close we are to opening up new reliable tram links to this part of Birmingham city centre. Expanding the tram network is a crucial enabler for my Growth Plan'.