West Midlands Mayor fast tracks tram extension amid plans for BCFC Sports Quarter

A highly anticipated extension of the Birmingham tram system will “unlock” a crucial line to the Birmingham City FC £3 billion Sports Quarter project.

Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board approved a refreshed business case for sections 3 and 4 of the Birmingham Eastside Metro Extension and a budget of £107 million for phase two of the project.

Birmingham Eastside Extension will provide connection to HS2 at Curzon Street and support regeneration of Digbeth.

But bosses said completing this extension is crucial for the creation of a new Metro line going to the East of the city and Birmingham City Football Club’s planned redevelopment.

Blues proposals include a new 60,000-seater stadium, sports campus of training facilities, a new academy, community pitches as well as leisure, commercial and residential development.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said he has fast-tracked funding of more than £62 million for Birmingham Eastside Extension to enable the next phase to start this year.

A report to Board said section 1 which covers Delta Junction – Dale End (Lower Bull Street) and section 5 which covers Meriden Street – Digbeth High Street (Digbeth High Street) have been completed.

Section 2, which covers Dale End – Park Street (Albert Street)/Moor Street Queensway), is under construction and expected to be completed to the Clayton Hotel later this year.

Transport bosses hope to start the main construction work of section 4 (New Canal Street – Meriden Street) later this year with preparatory works already under way.

But construction of Section 3, which covers Park Street – New Canal Street (Curzon Street Station), cannot begin until 2026 when HS2 hands over the site to Metro.

Mr Parker said: “This line is about more than transport – it’s about connecting people in Birmingham and the Black Country to opportunity.

“It’s already drawing in major investment and helping to breathe new life into this part of the city centre.

“But let’s be honest – it’s taken too long and that’s frustrating. That’s why I’ve fast-tracked £62 million so we can crack on with building the next phase later this year.

“Getting this done now also helps unlock the next big step – the Metro to East Birmingham. The sooner we deliver it, the sooner we bring in the jobs, homes and regeneration promised by the Sports Quarter.”

At the Board meeting, Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton said: “This is a really important step forward.

“It’s not just about the extension out to Digbeth, transformative though that is.

It’s about the next phase and how we unlock the full potential of an extension out to the East of Birmingham.

“The Metro Extension has to be a key part of how we drive that change.

“I keep coming back to really important points around East Birmingham.

“We’re talking about an area that around about the size of Derby which has some of the deepest seated challenges whether we’re talking about child poverty or levels of structural unemployment that are still too high.”