Metro to the Sports Quarter on track for 2031, but Solihull leg needs funding

The ambition remains to carry Birmingham's Metro trams beyond the planned Sports Quarter in Bordesley Green and on to the HS2 Interchange station near the NEC, but councillors in Solihull have been told that national funding will be needed to make it happen.

Phase one: the Sports Quarter

The Government has committed around £300 million to £400 million to extend the Metro line from the city centre to Birmingham City's planned Powerhouse stadium and the £2.9 billion Sports Quarter in Bordesley Green. The aim is for this first phase to open to passengers by 2031.

The region's new investment fund has also committed £1.7 billion to tram and rail links to support the Sports Quarter.

Phase two: on to Arden Cross

The longer-term ambition is for the line to continue further east, to a stop at the new HS2 Interchange station at Arden Cross, near the NEC and Birmingham Airport.

At a Solihull Council scrutiny meeting, Councillor Kathryn Thomas asked how confident the council was of getting funding for that extension, and whether space was being kept for the route in plans for the area.

Perry Wardle, Solihull's director of economy and infrastructure, replied: "It will be national funding required, supplementing regional funding. It isn't a project the council is going to deliver, the council will be a critical partner in the development and delivery."

"It has still got to go through significant development, funding processes, business cases and approvals before we can be confident about delivery," he said.

Driverless people movers

Mr Wardle said HS2 has committed to building an automated people mover, a driverless shuttle linking the Interchange station with the NEC, Birmingham International railway station and the airport. It is expected to carry 2,100 passengers an hour.

"We don't need to be planning for Metro to be going through all the main congested development sites," he said. "We have just got to get to the hub area and have that interchange facility."

Disruption in the west

On Tuesday afternoon, tram passengers in the west of the city faced disruption after a damaged tram stopped services between St Chads and Winson Green shortly after 4pm. Trams continued to run between Wolverhampton and Winson Green, and between St Chads and Edgbaston Village. Tickets were accepted on local trains and on the number 74 bus while the line was closed.

Why it matters

East Birmingham has some of the city's poorest connections to jobs and services, and the Metro extension is seen as central to the regeneration of Bordesley Green and the neighbouring areas. Birmingham City's owners, Knighthead, say the Powerhouse will hold 62,000 people, so good public transport will be essential on match days.

The current Metro line runs from Edgbaston Village through the city centre to Wolverhampton, with a branch in Wolverhampton city centre. An extension from Wednesbury through the Black Country towards Brierley Hill has also been under construction.