Plain English Version
Centro have worked with Birmingham City Council and come up with four metro routes that will lead out from the city centre:
- The existing Line 1 running between Snow Hill and Wolverhampton
- The planned Line 1 extension leading through the city centre to New Street Station then heading along Broad Street to end at Edgbaston and later at Junction 3 of the M5.
- A route to Birmingham International Airport extension running along Digbeth High Street
Key (Popup full image)
Centro has got hold of a Transport Works Act Order, which allows them to carry on with the extension of Line 1 along Bull Street, Corporation Street, through Victoria Square to Broad Street. This option would need us to remove the buses from Corporation Street in favour of the tram, but would not allow us to fully pedestrianise it. Centro thinks that doing this would mean that a lot more people would use Line1 because it creates a direct Metro link to the New Street Gateway. To pick up further routes, they suggest a one-way city centre loop to serve Southside, Eastside and Westside. (See Figure 4.1 for alternative metro routes)
Figure 4.1 shows the suggested future metro network developed by Centro in partnership with Birmingham City Council. As well as the Line1 extension mentioned above, a one-way city core loop is suggested serving the Eastside, Southside and Westside districts. The route, which runs around the south of the Bull Ring and immediately north of the international markets, will mean a lot more people can use the trams and will improve public transport in these areas. This loop would be needed to have the airport extension from Digbeth High Street. A further extension is planned out to Great Barr via New Town Row. The image also shows a route along Sherlock Street which would infill a route to the south.
Proposed Metro Routes (Popup full image)
For some routes, we could have ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ (BRT) instead of the Metro. Many modern cities have seen the benefits of trams in terms of transport and regeneration, setting them up is expensive and there are other practical issues. They can also affect other modes of transport (such as pedestrians in crowded streets). Bus Rapid Transport is halfway between buses and trams, with optional features such as better vehicles, priority through guideways, and not as many stops as normal buses. BRT may be a cheaper alternative to trams in some places and along some routes. Centro have suggested routes to Bartley Green, Chelmsley Wood and (as a pre-metro) to Perry Barr.
Original Document
Centro, in partnership with Birmingham City Council, has identified four metro routes that will radiate from the city centre:
- The existing Line 1 running between Snow Hill and Wolverhampton.
- The planned Line 1 extension heading through the city centre to New Street Station then heading along Broad Street to terminate at Edgbaston and later at Junction 3 of the M5.
- A route to Birmingham International Airport extension running along Digbeth High Street.
- A route to Great Barr, using the alignment of New Town Row.
Centro has obtained a Transport Works Act Order, enabling them to progress with the extension of Line 1 along Bull Street, Corporation Street, through Victoria Square to Broad Street. This option would require the removal of buses from Corporation Street in favour of the tram, but would not permit its full pedestrianisation. Centro predicts that this alignment will lead to major increases in Line1 patronage simply through creating a direct Metro link to the New Street Gateway. To pick up further routes a one-way city centre loop is proposed to serve Southside, Eastside and Westside. (See Figure 4.1 for alternative metro routes)
Figure 4.1 shows the proposed future metro network developed by Centro in partnership with BCC. As well as the Line 1 extension referred to above, a one-way city core loop is proposed serving Eastside, Southside and Westside quarters. The route, running around the south of the Bull Ring and immediately north of the international markets, will greatly improve tram system capacity and improve public transport accessibility in these areas. This loop would be required to deliver the airport extension from Digbeth High Street. A further extension is planned out to Great Barr via New Town Row. A route along Sherlock Street is also shown, which would infill a route to the south.
An alternative to Metro for some routes would be to implement ‘Bus Rapid Transit’. While the transport and regeneration benefits of trams are well understood in many modern cities, the costs and practical issues surrounding their implementation are considerable, while they can have adverse impacts on other modes (e.g. on pedestrians in crowded streets). Bus Rapid Transit is an intermediate mode between buses and trams, with optional features such as better vehicles, enhanced priority through guideways, and less frequent stops than conventional buses. BRT may be a more cost-effective alternative to tram in certain locations/corridors. Centro have suggested routes to Bartley Green, Chelmsley Wood and (as a pre-metro) to Perry Barr.