Major expansion of West Midlands Metro with three new lines
- Safer Highways
- Oct 16
- 3 min read
The West Midlands Metro is undergoing its biggest expansion yet, with three major extensions under construction.
The Midland Metro Alliance (MMA), working with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is leading delivery of the East Birmingham–Solihull, Birmingham Eastside, and Wednesbury–to–Brierley Hill extensions — adding more than 30 kilometres of new tram routes to the network.
The East Birmingham-Solihull Metro extension
The East Birmingham–Solihull Metro extension will run from East Birmingham towards North Solihull, connecting with the Birmingham Eastside route at Curzon Street and linking key destinations including Millennium Point, Birmingham City University, Digbeth, and the future HS2 Curzon Street Station.
The project is designed to support regeneration across East Birmingham, including the city’s new Sports Quarter development, and deliver improved transport access to one of the region’s most underserved areas.
The latest update is that overnight track tests have successfully taken place on the first leg of the extension, reaching Millennium Point. Construction work is continuing on the next section, which will extend the line to the new Birmingham City FC stadium and a new Sports Quarter.
In May 2024, work had also started on the next phase in the Albert Street and Moor Street Queenway area, which is progressing well with the first tracks laid in recent weeks.
Government funding has been confirmed, and the project is now in its early development phase. A Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) will be required to secure legal powers for construction and operation. No opening date has yet been set, but services are expected to match current Metro frequencies of every 6–8 minutes during peak periods and 12–15 minutes off-peak.
The Birmingham Eastside Extension
The Birmingham Eastside Extension will extend the Metro line from Bull Street through Digbeth and High Street Deritend, directly serving HS2’s Curzon Street Station.
The 1.7-kilometre twin-track route will include four new tram stops and a bus interchange beside the Clayton Hotel, improving integration with other transport modes.Major construction began in spring 2021. Track and streetscape works along Lower Bull Street and Digbeth High Street are largely complete, with current work focusing on Moor Street Queensway and Albert Street.
A temporary terminus at Moor Street Queensway is due to open in 2025/26, allowing part of the line to operate earlier. Full operation through to Digbeth and Curzon Street is expected after HS2 site handovers, anticipated no earlier than 2026.
The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension
The Wednesbury–to–Brierley Hill Extension is one of the largest light rail projects currently under way in the UK. The route runs for around 11 kilometres, branching from the existing Metro line east of Wednesbury Great Western Street, passing through Tipton and Dudley, and continuing to Brierley Hill near the Merry Hill Centre.
The extension will feature up to 14 tram stops, with around nine stops in Phase 1 (Wednesbury to Dudley Town Centre) and five more in Phase 2 (Dudley to Brierley Hill.
The five-mile tram line was due to have opened last year, but rising costs led to the opening date being put back until autumn this year.
But a spokesman for Transport for West Midlands has now confirmed that no trams will be open to the public until 2026.
Phase 2, extending from Dudley to Merry Hill and Brierley Hill, began construction in spring 2025 and is expected to open by 2028.
The expanded network will operate frequent services, typically every 6–8 minutes at peak times, and is expected to deliver long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits for the entire region.