The route serves the city's bus station
The £1.3 billion West Midlands Metro Extension is set to transform public transport across the region, with new tram routes connecting Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Solihull and Birmingham Airport by 2028.
The major infrastructure project, led by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), aims to create a more integrated transport network.
Delivered by the Midland Metro Alliance (MMA) on behalf of TfWM and WMCA, the programme will eventually serve more than 80 tram stops and connect over 20 transport interchanges.
The expanded network will link key destinations including Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Dudley, Brierley Hill, Digbeth, North Solihull, Birmingham Airport, the NEC and HS2.
The extensive programme has been divided into five sections, with two extensions already completed and three more at different stages of construction and planning.
Birmingham Westside
Completed in 2022, the Birmingham Westside extension brought the tram network further into the heart of Birmingham city centre, improving connections to several key destinations.
The route serves Brindleyplace and Five Ways before continuing to Edgbaston Village, providing passengers with additional travel options and helping to reduce congestion across the city.
Alongside the transport improvements, the Midland Metro Alliance also carried out public realm enhancements, including planting trees along the route to improve the surrounding urban environment.
Wolverhampton Railway Station Extension
The Wolverhampton Railway Station extension was completed in 2023, allowing West Midlands Metro services to run directly into the city’s railway station.
The route serves the city’s bus station on Pipers Row before continuing to Wolverhampton Railway Station, making it easier for passengers to interchange between different modes of public transport.
The extension has improved connections for commuters and other travellers using the city’s rail and bus networks.
Birmingham Eastside
The Birmingham Eastside Metro Extension is a 1.7km twin-track route running from Bull Street to a new terminus at High Street Deritend.
Once complete, it will include four permanent tram stops serving the eastern part of Birmingham city centre.
The first phase opened to the public on Easter Sunday in April 2026, adding two new stops to the network and improving access to destinations including Moor Street Station, Thinktank, Millennium Point and the Clayton Hotel.
Construction on the second phase is now progressing, with work on Digbeth High Street completed and construction continuing on Meriden Street. Work at the HS2 site is expected to begin by the end of 2026.
Plans for an additional temporary terminus near the Clayton Hotel were announced by Transport for West Midlands in 2023. The arrangement is intended to allow tram services to begin operating earlier while construction work continues elsewhere along the route.
Track and drainage have already been installed as far as the Coventry Street junction, while utility diversion work in New Canal Street is nearing completion ahead of the next stage of construction.
Work will then continue between Coventry Street and the Bordesley Street junction before construction moves to the HS2 site.
The road between High Street and Bordesley Street is also expected to remain closed for several months as work at Meriden Street is completed.
Wednesbury to Brierley Hill
The 11km Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension is being delivered in two phases and will add 14 tram stops to the West Midlands Metro network.
The first phase is approaching completion, with all structures installed or repaired, track laid and the overhead line equipment switched on and operational.
Remaining work includes non-critical elements such as public realm improvements and the installation of street furniture, alongside testing and commissioning before passenger services can begin.
Testing and commissioning is already underway and is expected to last several weeks. It will involve trial tram movements, driver training and detailed safety checks to ensure the system is ready for operational use.
Meanwhile, construction on the second phase is continuing.
A gabion wall has been installed at the foot of the verge on Duncan Edwards Way, allowing drainage installation work to begin safely. At The Waterfront, a compound area has been established as preparatory work continues.
At Merry Hill, The Embankment remains one-way while construction teams complete a piling platform ahead of piling work required for the new tram stop.
East Birmingham to Solihull
The proposed East Birmingham to Solihull extension is currently in the planning stages and would take the Birmingham Eastside route further east towards Solihull.
The planned route would eventually terminate at the core HS2 interchange, providing tram connections to Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and the wider transport network.
The extension is expected to improve access to some of the region’s major transport and visitor destinations, further expanding the reach of the West Midlands Metro network.
