Work on next phase of long-awaited Dudley Metro extension could begin in January

A meeting of the borough council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on October 22 heard an update on phase two of the project, which will link Dudley to the Waterfront at the Merry Hill Centre.

Phase one, which connects Dudley town centre to Wednesbury, where passengers will be able to catch connections to Wolverhampton and Birmingham, is expected to be completed by autumn 2025.

In relation to the next section, Anne Shaw OBE, executive director of Transport for West Midlands, told the meeting: “We have got the business case going through the approval process.

“It went through the combined authority board in July and was agreed by leaders for submission to the Department of Transport for final approval. It is fully funded in terms of what the business case says, there is a Department of Transport meeting in November where recommendations will be agreed.

“In terms of ministerial sign-off we are looking at starting construction in January, all being well.”

The original scheme dealt with the whole project in one phase but post-Covid increases in costs meant it had to be split into three parts to remain affordable.

The final section, from the Waterfront to Brierley Hill town centre, is still to be worked into a business case for approval to secure funding.

While work on phase one is continuing the meeting heard concerns about the behaviour of some workers including a report contractors had been spotted on the site "standing around drinking beer".

Ms Shaw said: “Health and safety on our sites is imperative, no-one has reported that to me before.

“Health and safety is absolutely paramount, we take seriously what members of the public have seen and any evidence would be welcome.”