The Midland Metro is a light-rail tram system in the West Midlands in England, which presently (2003) runs between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury.
The 20.2km Birmingham to Wolverhampton line was opened in 1999, and runs mostly along a disused railway trackbed between the two cities. At the Birmingham end of the line, it presently terminates at Birmingham Snow Hill station in Birmingham city centre. At the Wolverhampton end, it moves off the former railway trackbed and becomes street running, terminating at Wolverhampton 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, further lines and extensions are planned, including in the near future, an extension through Birmingham city centre to link with Birmingham New Street station. And an extension from Wednesbury to a shopping centre.
Further into the future, new lines are planned to link Birmingham city centre to Birmingham International Airport. And a new line is also planned to connect Wolverhampton city centre to Dudley via a city centre loop, Wednesfield, Willenhall and Walsall.
None of these are expected to be built before 2010.Future Extensions
