West Midlands Metro has taken delivery of the first of eight new trams, arriving ahead of the expansion of the region’s network.
Manufactured by Spanish developer CAF, the blue liveried trams run under power from overhead electric cables, while recharging the on-board battery ready for cable free sections of track.
The first five trams will be put into service later this year, ready for the opening of extensions to the network in Birmingham and Wolverhampton city centres.
A further 13 trams will be delivered in 2023 ahead of the opening of the Metro extension currently under construction between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill. The Metro expansion programme is being planned, designed and delivered by the Midland Metro Alliance.
This latest delivery follows an £83.5m deal signed in 2019 between West Midlands Metro and CAF.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, said: “These are incredibly exciting times for the Metro in the West Midlands, as we undergo a huge expansion of the network after decades of under investment.
“With the extension to the Westside of Birmingham nearing completion, and diggers in the ground on both the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill and Birmingham Eastside extensions, it is clear we are going to need significantly more trams in service as we attract more and more people onto the Metro.
“Not only are our trams a quick and easy alternative to the car, but they’re also far more environmentally friendly, helping to reduce air pollution and tackle the climate emergency.”
According to Transport for West Midlands, increasing capacity on the Metro will support the region in its #WM2041 target to become carbon neutral within the next 20 years.
As previously reported by CiTTi, the section of track between Grand Central and the Library stops in Birmingham city centre was the first in the UK to see battery powered passenger trams in regular use.
