The Birmingham tram extension to Millennium Point station began operations on April 5, expanding connectivity in central Birmingham and integrating new areas into the West Midlands Metro network.
This is the first phase of the Birmingham Eastside extension, which includes two new stations, providing easy access to key locations such as Moor Street Station, the Clayton Hotel, the Birmingham City University campus, and Millennium Point. The extension is approximately 1.7 km long and includes two new stations (Albert Street and Millennium Point—now in operation), serving the eastern part of the city center.
The new infrastructure also introduces a direct tram connection via Albert Street station for the approximately 400,000 weekly passengers at the Moor Street bus hub, enabling seamless connections between bus, tram, and train in this part of the city for the first time.
This is the first branch of the main network between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, with a second branch set to open later this year between Wednesbury and Dudley.
The project was carried out by Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, and service operations are provided by West Midlands Metro. Representatives of the involved institutions emphasize that this investment helps connect communities, support the local economy, and improve public transportation accessibility.
With the opening of the new stations, schedule adjustments will be implemented, and the initial tram frequency will be up to 15 minutes, bringing significant benefits to both passengers and the local business community.
The extension to Millennium Point was carried out by the Midland Metro Alliance, formed by the West Midlands Combined Authority, which owns West Midlands Metro. It includes a consortium of design experts from Egis, Tony Gee, and Pell Frischmann, as well as rail construction specialists from Colas Rail, alongside its sub-alliance partners Colas Ltd, Barhale, Bouygues UK, and Auctus Management Group.
The extension is part of a network development program
The Birmingham tram extension is part of a broader plan to develop the tram network in the eastern part of the city. Work is currently underway to extend the line to Digbeth Coach Station, and detailed plans are also being prepared for a new extension to the Powerhouse Stadium, planned by Birmingham City Football Club, with a capacity of 60,000 seats. In the long term, the route will continue toward the eastern part of the city, North Solihull, and Birmingham Airport.
“The new extension is just the beginning of a much broader transformation of our tram network to connect more communities, open up new opportunities to help our region grow, and make travel easier and more accessible for everyone,” said Sandeep Shingadia, CEO of Transport for the West Midlands (TfWM), the authority responsible for planning, developing, and coordinating public transportation in the West Midlands region.
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