Midland Metro

Midland Metro
Overview
Type	Tram/light rail[1]
Status	active
Stations	23
Services	1
Daily ridership	13,714 (96,000 weekly [2])
Operation
Opened	30 May 1999
Owner	Centro
Operator(s)	Travel Midland Metro
Depot(s)	Wednesbury
Rolling stock	Ansaldobreda T69
Technical
Line length	20.2 km (13 mi)
Track gauge	Standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC OHLE
Operating speed	top 70 km/h (43 mph), average 35 km/h (22 mph)

The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited,^[3] a subsidiary of the National Express Group (NEG), under the brand name Travel Midland Metro (TMM).

The current line opened in 1999, mostly using a disused railway trackbed. In Birmingham, it terminates at Snow Hill station. An extension to the line, allowing trams to run into Birmingham city centre, was approved in 2012, and is expected to be operational by 2015. Various other extensions, including entirely new lines, have been proposed but not yet approved.

History

Early proposals

In June 1984,^[4]around the same time as a brief experiment with guided buses, the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (Centro) and the soon to be abolished West Midlands County Council,^[5] planned a tram line between Five Ways, just west of Birmingham city centre, and the Clock Garage, in the eastern suburbs. It would have involved property demolition,^[6] and was to have been the first of a series of tramways known as the 'Light Rail Transit' system.

Centro's proposals included converting the Hall Green to Shirley portion of the North Warwickshire railway to a tramway, and closing the remainder. A tramway to West Bromwich was to run along the Soho Road, with the parallel Great Western Railway right of way used for a by-pass. The Redditch to Lichfield rail service was to be discontinued, and its Aston to Sutton Coldfield section used as a tramway.^[7]

The Clock Garage line, spearheaded by Wednesfield Labour councillor Phil Bateman,^[8] was eventually abandoned in the face of public opposition,^[9] and the Transport Executive was unable to find a Member of Parliament willing to sponsor an enabling Bill.^[9]

Inception of the current system

Following the establishment of a new Passenger Transport Authority in 1986, a light-rail scheme under the present name "Midland Metro" was revived with a different set of lines. The first of up to fifteen lines was intended be operating by the end of 1993, and a substantial network of 200 kilometres of tram lines was planned to be in use by 2000.^[10]

In February 1988 it was announced that the first route would be between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, using a disused railway trackbed, a route which had not been included in the 1985 recommended network. A Bill to give Centro the powers to construct the line was deposited in Parliament in November 1988, and became an Act of Parliament a year later.^[5]

The Clock Garage line was subsequently revived in modified form,^[11] as Midland Metro Line 2, with a new eastern terminus in Chelmsley Wood.^[11] Line 2 was intended to be extended from Chelmsley Wood to Birmingham Airport. Proposals were published to extend Line 1 to the Bullring shopping centre and build Line 2, and powers to build them were obtained.^[5]

Neither Line 2 nor Line 3 (Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and Merry Hill) were built, and powers to build them lapsed in 1997.^[12]

Construction

Tram 13 on former railway section.

A contract for the construction and operation of Midland Metro Line One was awarded to a consortium known as Altram in August 1995, and construction officially began three months later.^[13] The targeted completion date of August 1998 was missed by ten months, leading to compensation being paid by Altram.^[14]

Centro estimated that construction of the line cost £145 million at 1995 prices,^[15]

Services

Line One

[ v t e ] Midland Metro Line One

Legend Wolverhampton St George's The Royal Priestfield The Crescent Bilston Central Loxdale Bradley Lane Walsall Canal Wednesbury Parkway Wednesbury Great Western Street Tame Valley Canal Black Lake Tunnel (412 yards) Black Lake Ridgacre Canal Dudley Street Guns Village Dartmouth Street Lodge Road West Bromwich Town Hall West Bromwich Central Trinity Way Kenrick Park M5 motorway The Hawthorns  Handsworth Booth Street Winson Green Outer Circle Soho Benson Road Jewellery Quarter  Hockley Tunnel 1 (136 Yards) Hockley Tunnel 2 (160 Yards) St Paul's Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Birmingham Snow Hill

Line 1, the 12.5-mile (20.1 km) Birmingham to Wolverhampton route, was opened on 31 May 1999, and runs mostly along the trackbed of the former Great Western Railway line between the two cities which was severed in 1972. Of the 23 tram stops, eleven roughly or directly match former stations on the GW line.^[16]

At the southern end, the terminus is Birmingham Snow Hill station, where Platform 4 was taken out of use to make space for the tram terminal and access track.

At the northern end, trams move off the former railway trackbed at Priestfield to run along Bilston Road to a terminus in Bilston Street, called St Georges in Wolverhampton city centre. St Georges has no interchange with other public transport, but the bus and railway stations can be reached on foot in a few minutes.

The original proposal had been to run into the former Wolverhampton Low Level station, but this was abandoned.^[17]

Service pattern

Daytime services from Monday to Friday run at eight-minute intervals, and at longer intervals at other times. Trams take 35 minutes to complete the entire route.^[18]

Fares

Cash fares are distance-related. The scale was originally intended to be broadly comparable with buses, but this proved to be unfinanceable.^[19] In July 2008 the adult single fare from Birmingham to Wolverhampton was £1.50 by bus, £2.50 by tram. The second fare increase of 2010, in July, brought the whole-line single fare to £3.20.^[20]

Usage

Usage of the line averages about five million passengers annually, and this number appears to have reached a plateau.^[21]

Accidents and service disruptions

There have been several instances of trams colliding with road vehicles at crossings, including one collision in February 2003 in Wolverhampton where the car driver was killed.^[22] There has also been at least one collision between trams, including one in December 2006 near Benson Road station, in which 16 people sustained minor injuries.^[23][24]

Technical and maintenance failures, severe weather and vandalism have led to some service disruptions. In summer 2001 the Wolverhampton section was temporarily closed because of a risk of electrocution posed by drooping power cables.^[25]

Engineering

Track, signalling, and depot

Line 1 is a 1435mm double-track tramway, apart from a short section of single track at the approach to the Snow Hill terminus. Trams are driven manually under a mix of line-of-sight and signals. Turnback crossovers along the line, including the street section, have point indicators.

On the trackbed section, Birmingham to Priestfield, signals are located at the Snow Hill single line extremities, Black Lake level crossing, and Wednesbury Parkway and Metro Centre. The street section has signals at every set of traffic lights, which are tied into the road signals to allow tram priority.

The control room, stabling point, and depot, called Metro Centre, near Wednesbury, Great Western Street tram stop, occupies land once used as railway sidings.

Power

In July 2010 Centro announced overhead line renewals costing £0.43m and a £0.53m investment in upgrading communications and signalling equipment,^[26] requiring Midland Metro's closure for one week (between Birmingham Snow Hill and Black Lake in autumn 2010, and Black Lake and Priestfield in spring 2011).^[27]

Stops

Midland Metro tram 14 leaving Snow Hill railway station tram stop

Midland Metro tram 05 approaching West Bromwich tram stop

The tram stops are unstaffed raised platforms, with two open-fronted cantilever shelters equipped with seats, a 'live' digital display of services, closed circuit television, and an intercom linked to Metro Centre.^[15]

Vehicles

Metro operates sixteen Ansaldobreda T69 articulated two-section trams, which were built in Caserta,^[28] Italy. The 38 tonne^[28] tramcars rest on three bogies, and have a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph). There is a full width driver's compartment at each end. Each tram has three 1.25 metre wide^[28] entrances on each side, with twin plug doors. Tramcar occupancy in commuting periods is mainly standee, with seating only accounting for 56 of the 158-person capacity.^[29]

Only the centre portion of the tramcar - 0.35 metres above track level - is wheelchair accessible, as the extremities - being 0.85 metres above track level - are reached by a small staircase. An on-board loudspeaker is used to deliver messages from the driver and Metro Centre, and a recorded announcement of every stop.^[28]

Each tram includes a dead man's handle and three braking systems. Using the hazard brake, fifteen metres is required to stop from a speed of 30 kilometres per hour.^[30] In the Rail Accident Investigation Branch report into an accident at New Swan Lane Level Crossing, it emerged that tram drivers were reluctant to use a rapid deceleration brake, because of the potential for serious or fatal injuries to persons on board.^[30]

Centro announced that it was planning a £44.2-million replacement of the entire tram fleet.^[31] In February 2012 CAF was named preferred bidder for a contract for 19 to 25 Urbos 3 trams.^[32] A £40 million firm order for 20 was subsequently signed, with options for five more^[33]

Access

Cycling

Carriage of bicycles is not permitted on the Midland Metro except for foldable bikes that have been fully compacted.^[34]

As of June 2010, no Midland Metro stop had cycle lockers (apart from The Hawthorns, shared with national rail).^[35]

Wheelchair

Each tram contains two spaces for wheelchair users. All stops along the route have been designed to be fully accessible, with level, ramped, or lift access to all platforms. ^[36]

Extensions and future proposals

Several extensions have been proposed for the system. Of which one, the extension into Birmingham city centre, has been approved.

Phase One expansion

Line One (Birmingham City Centre) Extension

[ v t e ] Midland Metro line one extension
Legend to St Paul's on current Line One Snow Hill (St Chad's)  Bull Street Corporation Street Birmingham New Street

The Birmingham City Centre Extension (BCCE) will be an addition to the existing Line One that will bring trams into the streets of central Birmingham, terminating at Stephenson Street, adjacent to New Street railway station. It is a shortened version of an earlier proposal which would have seen the tramway continue to Edgbaston Shopping Centre, Five Ways.^[37] The Birmingham Post reported that the BCCE would remove around 420,000 car journeys per year from the roads.^[38] An order authorising the City Centre Extension was made in July 2005.^[39]

The estimated cost of the extension in June 2005 was £72 million,^[40] three years later the estimate had reached £180 million.^[41]

Birmingham City Council however looked at the possibility of constructing an underground railway. Mike Whitby, leader of the council from 2004^[42] at one stage spoke in favour of an underground railway rather than a tram line, which he claimed would be faster, and much cheaper to operate.^[43] In February 2005, Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Tilsley, who became deputy leader of Birmingham council later that year, stated that a proper underground was needed, and that people would not stand for the mayhem that building a street tramway would cause.^[44]

The city council commissioned Jacobs Engineering^[45] and Deloitte to look into the feasibility of underground trams, but in June 2005 the Birmingham Post reported that tunnelling would be unaffordable and not meet government funding criteria. Mr Whitby stated that he would challenge the way the studies had been carried out,^[43] but the eventual outcome was acceptance of a street tramway. By September 2008, the council's interest had shifted from the full BCCE^[42] to a shortened version providing a link between New Street and Snow Hill stations (which do not have a connecting train service).

Shortened version

In March 2009 the shortened version of the BCCE, terminating in Stephenson Street, was estimated to cost £60 million.^[46] It will diverge from the existing line between Snow Hill and St Paul's stops. As part of the 'Snowhill' land redevelopment adjacent to Snow Hill station, part of a viaduct has been constructed to carry the line from the current alignment into the streets.^[47] The viaduct will allow the fourth platform at Snow Hill to be reinstated for railway use.^[48] In September 2010, contractor Balfour Beatty started building a new deck to complete the viaduct.^[49]

From Snow Hill, the tramway will run along Colmore Circus, Upper Bull Street, Corporation Street, and Stephenson Place, providing three additional stops. The present Snow Hill tram terminal will be replaced by a fourth new stop near to St Chad's Circus, on the Hockley side of Great Charles Street. Access to Snow Hill railway station will be by means of its "second entrance", on which building started in 2005.^[50]

The BCCE will provide a tram link between Birmingham New Street and Snow Hill railway station which do not have a linking train service. It will improve tram users' access to the shopping district around Corporation Street, but at the cost of worsened access for bus users, with up to ten stops^[51] having to be relocated away from the street. Over 30 bus routes, including those using Upper Bull Street as a terminus, will have to be re-routed.

On 20 October 2010 the BBC reported that chancellor George Osborne had given a "firm commitment" to support the extension,^[52] Government approval was given on 16 February 2012 for the extension from Snow Hill to New Street, a new fleet of trams and a new depot at Wednesbury; the sanctioned sum is £128m, of which £75.4m will be provided by the Department for Transport. The first new tram is scheduled to come into service on the existing line in February 2014, while the enlarged depot will be available in August 2013. The city centre extension with the full new tram fleet is scheduled to be in service from March 2015.^[53][54]

Wolverhampton city centre loop

Tram running on the existing on-street section in Wolverhampton

A tramway serving Wolverhampton's bus and rail stations, part of the Phase Two Extensions, was made a separate project following stagnation of the project to build a line to Walsall. It was to take the form of a mainly single-track loop-and-spur extension to Line 1, with an estimated cost of £30 million.^[55] By July 2009, the loop had gained funding preference over the Brierley Hill route, and a leaflet was distributed to the public giving basic details of the proposal.^[56]

Centro hoped to complete the scheme by 2014,^[57] but in May 2010 Wolverhampton councillor Paddy Bradley stated it was "on the back burner". Although its 2009 brochure included a route plan and stopping points, Centro's spokesman Steve Swingler said "We expect to announce the preferred route later in the summer".^[58]

The plan entailed southbound passengers boarding in Wolverhampton being first taken around the city centre, and to the railway station. In July 2010, Centro Director General Geoff Inskip hinted that the scheme would be reworked by taking it to "places people need to go, such as the University", and not taking passengers to the railway station and back "if they don't actually need to go there".^[59] The reworked scheme, costing £50 million instead of £30 million, might be routed over part of the ring road.^[59] Nothing more was heard of the revised plan, and the November 2010 draft Local Transport Plan reverted to a Wolverhampton loop costing £31 million.^{[citation needed]}

Wednesbury - Stourbridge Extension

[ v t e ] Midland Metro Brierley Hill/Stourbridge Extension

Legend Joins existing Line One Tame Valley Canal Golds Hill Walsall Canal Great Bridge Horseley Road Dudley Port Birmingham New Main Line Canal (under aqueduct) Sedgley Road Birmingham Old Main Line Canal Birmingham New Road Tipton Road Dudley Town Centre for Dudley Bus station Flood Street New Road Cinderbank Parkhead Viaduct over Dudley Canal Pedmore Road Canal Street Waterfront Merry Hill Brierley Hill Brettell Lane Stourbridge

From Line One in Wednesbury, the Brierley Hill Extension (WBHE) would follow the disused South Staffordshire Line, through Sandwell to the vicinity of the former Dudley Town station, then run on-street into Dudley town centre. It would leave Dudley using a route alongside the Southern Bypass to again access the existing railway corridor, leaving it once more for the approach to the Waterfront/Merry Hill area and Brierley Hill.^[60]

Centro have stated that the WBHE would provide 10 trams per hour, alternately serving Wolverhampton and Birmingham. Journey time from Brierley Hill to West Bromwich was stated as 31 minutes.^[61]

In December 2000, the capital cost of the Brierley Hill Extension was stated as £114.1 million in 1999 prices.^[62] A Centro news release in March 2005 gave the cost as £139 million,^[63] but the following year the estimate had risen to £268 million.^[64]

In early 2005, no start or completion date had been announced, and parts still required the approval of Parliament.^[65] Some preliminary work was done in 2005-2006, with the reconstruction of the 50-year-old Tipton Road overbridge in Dudley.

In 2008 Centro proposed that the WBHE become a passenger and cargo tram-train project linking Wednesbury and Stourbridge, linked to the re-opening of the South Staffordshire railway from Bescot. It stated, "Running freight trains on the proposed tram tracks will remove the need to build a separate track for freight alongside the Metro rails, cutting overall construction costs by around 20 per cent".^[66] The report giving this figure assumed that track-sharing issues could be resolved.^[67] The "20 per cent saving" estimate preceded a 27% increase in project cost, to £341 million.^[68]

In the construction of Line 1, Centro took a contrary view of track-sharing, having a flyover built at Handsworth to ensure segregation of trams from occasional freight trains.^[69] Track-sharing was a feature of the original Wednesbury - Brierley Hill Extension, but by spring 2001 had been abandoned.^[70]

In October 2010, the 'Black Country Joint Core Strategy'^[71] cast further doubt on implementation of the Brierley Hill Extension.^[72]

In March 2011, the business plan for the reopening of the South Staffordshire Line between Walsall and Stourbridge for the Midland Metro was submitted to Network Rail.^[73] Trams would share the line with freight trains, and a decision from Network Rail on the scheme between Stourbridge and Walsall is due in the summer.

Follow-on extensions

Phase Two Expansion

In 2004, the proposed Phase Two expansion included five routes:^[74]

Birmingham city centre to Great Barr

A 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), 17-stop route planned from the city centre through Lancaster Circus and along the A34 corridor to the Birmingham/Walsall boundary area, terminating near the M6 motorway junction 7.

Birmingham city centre to Quinton

A 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) route planned to run from the Birmingham City Centre Extension terminus at Five Ways along the Hagley Road to Quinton.

Wolverhampton city centre to Wednesfield, Willenhall, Walsall and Wednesbury

This 20.4 kilometres (12.7 mi) route, called "5Ws" by Centro, would connect Wolverhampton city centre to Wednesfield, Willenhall, Walsall and Wednesbury, as well as providing direct access to New Cross and Manor Hospitals, partially using the trackbed of the former Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway.

Birmingham city centre to Birmingham Airport (A45)

A 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) route from Birmingham Airport/ NEC and serving suburbs along the A45 road. Journey time from central Birmingham (Bull Street) to the airport was estimated at 29 minutes.^[75]

Birmingham city centre to Birmingham Airport (A47)

In September 2010, the Birmingham Post reported that a "£425 million rapid transit system" between Birmingham city centre and the airport "could involve a new light rail scheme".^[76] Centro strategy director Alex Burrows stated "the Birmingham City Centre to Birmingham Airport Rapid Transit plan will deliver connectivity between the city centre, Birmingham Business Park and Chelmsley Wood".^[77]

Local Transport Plan 3

In November 2010, Centro began a period of consultation on the new Local Transport Plan, covering the period 2011 to 2026 ("LTP3").^[78] The draft plan summary^[79] listed the Brierley Hill Extension, 5Ws line, Birmingham Airport Rapid Transit (i.e., via Chelmsley Wood), Wolverhampton loop, and 'Coventry Rapid Transit Spine' as priorities for the period 2016 to 2026. There was no mention of the A45 Midland Metro Airport line, which had been in the Phase Two Expansion since at least 2003.^[80]

As with Alex Burrows' earlier announcement, the Birmingham Airport Rapid Transit was described as 'rapid transit' rather than 'Midland Metro'. The cost was given as £457 million, up from £425 million in September 2010.^{[citation needed]}

Economics

At the time of Line 1's opening, the contractors who ran the line Altram, was a for-profit company owned by John Laing, Ansaldo, and West Midlands Travel.

Soon after opening, it became evident to all three partners that Metro operating revenues would not cover costs. In 2001 Ansaldo decided it was "not prepared to invest further monies in a loss-making venture which showed no prospect of ever becoming profitable".^[81] Laing "felt there was no economic future in Altram and that to contribute further funds would only increase its loss in what it believed to be a failing project".^[81] In February 2003, The Times reported that the Metro's auditors had refused to sign off its accounts as a going concern.^[82] Michael J. Parker, Centro communications chief during the project definition stage — subsequently Director-General of Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (Nexus) — had stated that Midland Metro would be "highly profitable".^[83]

Ansaldo and Laing had ceased practical involvement as early as 2003, but their official exit took place in 2006.^[81] Day-to-day operation of the tramway is in the hands of Travel Midland Metro, with losses largely covered by cross-subsidies from other parts of National Express's business.^[81]

The Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) used an overall cost estimate for British systems of £3.79 per light-rail vehicle-kilometre in 2003-2004, compared with £0.94 per bus kilometre in 2002-2003, according to Rapid Transit Monitor 2004. CfIT estimated that the fare required for Midland Metro to break even was twice that of Manchester Metrolink, Tramlink (Croydon), and the Tyne and Wear Metro.^[84]

Safety and security

Emergency procedure

In the run up to opening of Line 1, an unknown number of emergency scenarios were played out with volunteers.^[85] Evacuation from several sections, such as the Hill Top tunnel, in the event of power failure appears to depend on passengers, including wheelchair passengers, being able to clamber up or down a steep bank.^[86]

References

Works cited

• John Boynton (2001). Main Line to Metro: Train and tram on the Great Western route: Birmingham Snow Hill - Wolverhampton. Kidderminster: Mid England Books. ISBN 978-0-9522248-9-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=C_RfPQAACAAJ. 

External links

• TravelMetro - midland metro homepage
• Google Maps - Line One Station Locations Map - Google Maps

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Coordinates: 52°32′57″N 2°01′35″W / 52.54910°N 2.02641°W / 52.54910; -2.02641