The Midland Metro Alliance has applied to the UK government for approval to build and operate the Birmingham Eastside extension – a new tram line which will serve the future HS2 station at Curzon Street.
The 1.7-kilometre extension will connect all three of the city’s main railway stations – New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill – operating from Bull Street to Digbeth.
Estimated to cost £137.2 million, the line will have four stops: Albert Street, New Canal Street, Meriden Street and Digbeth High Street.
The Midland Metro Alliance was established to design and build the extension. It includes a construction team – made up of Colas Rail and Colas Ltd, Barhale, Thomas Vale and Auctus Management Group – and a design consortium consisting of Egis, Tony Gee and Pell Frischmann.
Seven additional Urbos trams will be procured from CAF to serve the expanded network and will run every six minutes.
If the extension faces no objections, construction work could begin in 2019, around the same time an extension between New Street and Centenary Square is due to be completed, and the line could open in 2023.
