Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail tram system in the West Midlands in England, which presently (2004) runs between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury.Line One, the 20.2km Birmingham to Wolverhampton route, was opened in 1999, and runs mostly along the trackbed of the former Great Western Railway line between the two cities (which was disused for many years). At the southern end, the present terminus is Birmingham Snow Hill station in Birmingham city centre. At the northern end, trams move off the former railway trackbed to run along streets to a terminus at St. George's in Wolverhampton city centre.
Midland Metro carries about five million passengers annually - about one third of the original estimate - and makes substantial losses.
Despite this, expansion is planned, including in the near future, an on-street extension through Birmingham city centre running close to Birmingham New Street station, and a branch from Wednesbury to a shopping centre at Brierley Hill.
Further into the future, Phase Two extensions are planned to link Birmingham city centre to Birmingham International Airport. Another line is planned to connect Wolverhampton to Dudley, Wednesfield, Willenhall, and Walsall.
These are not expected to be built before 2010.Future Extensions
| Metros of the United Kingdom: |
| True Metros: Docklands Light Railway | Glasgow Underground | London Underground | Tyne & Wear |
| Modern Tramways: (Croydon) Tramlink | Manchester | Midland Metro | Nottingham | Sheffield |