Works to install the final bridge for the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension’s first phase will enter a new stage in December in another step forward for the project.
Preliminary activity to replace the structure on Birmingham New Road took place earlier in the summer and those in living in the area are being asked to prepare for the next stage in delivery which is expected to take place in the first few days of December ahead of a new purpose-built bridge being placed sometime in 2024.
In order to allow the essential activity to take place later this year, a localised road and footpath closure, will be implemented approximately 100 metres in either direction of the iconic “Hanson’s” bridge on Birmingham New Road.
These changes will be in place from Friday 1 until Monday 4 December (inclusive) with the road set to re-open by Tuesday 5 December.
Tom Maplethorpe, Project Director at the Midland Metro Alliance, which is designing and building the route on behalf of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), said: “The start of works to install the final bridge for the first phase of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill scheme is an exciting milestone in the delivery programme. When these works are completed, it will mean that all the bridges along the route will be in place ready for the Metro’s opening.”
During the brief four-day closure in December, those travelling to or away from Dudley will be able to continue their journeys using a short and clearly signed diversion route via Tipton Road and Birmingham Road.
The Midland Metro Alliance is working closely with TfWM and both Sandwell and Dudley Councils to help minimise traffic disruption while the works are underway later this summer and have teamed up to provide the following advice:
- Plan ahead and leave more time for your journeys, especially if you travel along Birmingham New Road, Tipton Road, or Birmingham Road, as you’ll need more time for your journey to take account of the diversion in place.
- Follow the @wmroads Twitter feed for real time traffic updates.
- Check with public transport operators before you travel as some services will be running on altered routes.
- Consider a change to how you travel. Road users are also being encouraged to take up other modes of transport such as walking or cycling, where possible.
- All local attractions and businesses remain open as usual during the period of construction activity in the area.
Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley council, and cabinet member for communities and economic delivery, said: “We’re investing so much in our borough, so it is inevitable that there will be some delays to journeys while these vital works are taking place. We are committed to keeping the travelling public moving during this time. We are therefore asking people to plan ahead and consider their journeys wherever they can.”
The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension will boost public transport in the Black Country, providing much-needed links to the existing heavy and light rail networks, and helping to connect people to education, training and career opportunities further afield in the West Midlands. When the first phase of the route opens to the public in late 2024, an additional nine stops will be added to the West Midlands Metro network linking people in Dudley town centre to both Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Image credit: TfWM / Jaggery
