Birmingham (TAN): New tram tracks are being laid in the city centre of Birmingham, UK, as part of the Westside metro expansion, the first phase of which is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
British transport minister Jesse Norman was special guest during the ceremonial laying of the first tracks.
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“The West Midlands Metro network shows how government support can help to create a sustainable, accessible and innovative light rail system, which forms an integral part of a modern urban transport network,” media reports quoted Norman as saying.
“This is a great time to explore the incredible potential for light rail schemes across the country,” he added.
The light rail project, worth GBP70 million, is being developed in two phases by the Midland Metro Alliance partnership on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
While the first phase extends from Grand Central to Centenary Square, the second phase, that could start functioning by the end of 2021, runs along Broad Street to Edgbaston Five Ways.
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Once complete, visitors and commuters will be able to access important locations and tourist destinations such as the new HSBC headquarters, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Brindley Place, the Arena Central and Paradise regeneration sites, Symphony Hall and the Town Hall.
The tracks, laid in Victoria Square in the beginning of this month, are the first to be installed in the city centre since 2015, when the extension between Snow Hill and Grand Central was being constructed.
The project forms part of the GBP1.35 billion expansion of the region’s tram network over the next decade, with new lines connecting Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull.
