Massive Boost for Birmingham Metro Hopes

The front page of today's Birmingham Post reports the Government has backed plans to extend the Midland Metro in Birmingham. The plan would link up the existing terminus at Birmingham Snow Hill with Birmingham New Street station, although there's no mention of the line continuing to Five Ways as was originally suggested.

Plans for extending the line have been talked about for years, but money was always the sticking point. It would seem that Centro has now been given the go-ahead to bid for Government funding. Centro will ask the Department for Transport for £25m towards the £55 million Birmingham extension and £53m towards the estimated £70 million circular route around Wolverhampton.

However, there's no mention of the proposed Black Country spur linking up Dudley Town Centre, Dudley Port train station and the Merry Hill shopping centre, which I'm sure would make more of an impact (in terms of getting cars off the road) then the New Street extension.