Subscribe to our Construction Newsfeed
UK Construction Directory
Search our 157,484 companies....

Construction News

18/05/2016

Track Alignment Work Delays Midland Metro Opening

Construction News Image
The opening of Midland services to Birmingham's New Street station has been delayed due to further track alignment works, it has been announced.

Services were due to begin running from Bull Street to Stephenson Street on Sunday, 22 may.

However, the delay follows extensive safety checks by Centro, the delivery arm of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority.

The 1.2km scheme is part of a £128 million project which involves the introduction of a new fleet of trams, a refurbished depot at Wednesbury and a new stop at Snow Hill station.
-- Advertisement --
hss



Overall, around 1,300 jobs are expected to be created with more than £50m generated for the West Midlands economy.

Centro's Midland Metro programme director Phil Hewitt, said: "It is bitterly disappointing as everything else is in place and ready to go but, as we have said right from the start, safety is paramount.

"A stringent testing programme has identified minor anomalies in some of the track alignment which need to be addressed.

"These are exactly the sort of issues the tests were designed to identify.

"However remedial work is relatively straightforward. Once that is complete, on-street driver training can begin and we will soon have passenger services running."

(LM)

Latest Construction News

11/07/2025
Story Homes has submitted a full planning application to South Ribble Borough Council for a proposed new residential development in Longton, aiming to build on the success of its nearby Longton Grange scheme. With the majority of homes now sold at Longton Grange, the developer is looking to meet co
11/07/2025
Essar Energy Transition (EET), through its subsidiary EET Property Limited, has completed the acquisition of Thornton Science Park. The 66-acre site includes purpose-built laboratories, industrial facilities, and office space, and is set to play a central role in EET's ambition to create one of Eur
11/07/2025
Families are preparing to move into four newly completed houses for affordable rent at the Malthouse Meadows development in West Sompting, Adur. The latest handover marks a key milestone in the delivery of high-quality, energy-efficient homes aimed at addressing local housing needs. The four fami
11/07/2025
Galliford Try's project team at the Syngenta manufacturing site in Huddersfield has been shortlisted in two categories at the 2025 Constructing Excellence (CE) Yorkshire and Humber Awards, celebrating the success and resilience of a long-standing partnership spanning over two decades. The team has
11/07/2025
Cambridgeshire County Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a new secondary school at the heart of the Alconbury Weald development, continuing its investment in the region's educational infrastructure. The new school, named Alconbury Weald Church Academy, will be run by the D
11/07/2025
Passengers and residents in Stone, Staffordshire, are being urged to prepare for a £7 million-plus package of railway upgrades set to improve safety, performance and long-term reliability on the West Coast Main Line. The work, scheduled to take place during the summer school holidays, will include
11/07/2025
A ceremonial tile signing has marked a major milestone in the restoration of the historic Pippbrook House, as roof-level works near completion on the Grade II* listed building in Dorking. Chair of Mole Valley District Council (MVDC), Councillor Roger Adams, led the event, joined by a host of guests
11/07/2025
ACS Construction Group has been appointed Principal Contractor by GE Vernova for a major infrastructure expansion at its Stafford HVDC Transformers facility, part of the company’s drive to support global decarbonisation through advanced transformer technology. ACS commenced with the Test Supply Bui
10/07/2025
Vistry Group has agreed two major deals with housing provider Abri to enable the delivery of almost 200 affordable homes across Hampshire, marking a significant step forward in addressing local housing needs. In Funtley, near Fareham, Vistry has completed a simultaneous land acquisition and forward
10/07/2025
Caddick Construction has officially completed its first Midlands project with the handover of Mansion House, a six-storey residential development comprising 58 new apartments, to joint venture partners Urban Splash and Places for People. Located on the 43-acre Port Loop island alongside Birmingham
Efco UK LtdAqua Direct LtdLakeside HireStuart CanvasGrampian Steel Buildings LtdExecutive LeisureGradwell Group LtdEfco UK LtdGreens H2O Hire LTDInterior 360