Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Comments
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
The Express & Star speak to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander during her visit to Parkhead Viaduct, Dudley.
Express & Star
Follow
06/02/2025
The Express & Star speak to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander during her visit to Parkhead Viaduct, Dudley, to see work being done in preparation for the Dudley to Merry Hill tram link.
Category
🗞
News
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
Hello, it's Mark Andrews for the Express and Star. We're at the Parkhead Viaduct just outside
00:06
Dudley, a remarkable feat of engineering which until about 30 years ago used to carry heavy
00:12
trains. I'm joined by the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander. Hello. I'd like to
00:19
tell me, you're here now, you're here for the launch of the work on phase two of the Midland
00:24
Metro extension from Dudley to the Merrihill Shopping Centre. Correct. Do you want to tell
00:28
me a little bit about what the benefits of this project will be, why it's important?
00:32
Well look, I think for the first time communities in Dudley and Briary Hill are going to have a
00:38
direct tram connection into the West Midlands Metro which will mean that they can get directly
00:44
into Birmingham, into Wolverhampton. That means shorter journey times, better connections,
00:50
greater access to jobs, education, opportunities and that's for everyone across the black country
00:57
and I think this area has really been underserved for far too long when it comes to high quality
01:02
public transport options and so having that direct link I think will be transformative.
01:09
I think it's lovely as well to think that this old piece of railway history, this old viaduct here,
01:17
in later this year when phase one happens we're going to see passengers travelling on the tram
01:25
and then when phase two finishes those trams are going to be running over this viaduct
01:30
and you know I think it's about using what we've got, making best use of what we've got
01:35
and actually providing a really high quality public transport service for communities along the line.
01:42
Now this viaduct used to be part of the route that went up from Derby up to the north east in
01:47
the one way and then to London the other. What would you say to people who say it would have
01:51
been better use of money to have opened the line to heavy rail rather than to the part of
01:56
it for the tram system? So heavy rail can be a very very expensive investment and whilst phase two
02:03
of this project costs about 295 million pounds which is still a very significant investment
02:09
in and of itself, light rail can actually often be delivered more quickly but it provides the
02:15
same benefits in terms of having local stops, opening up new bits of connectivity through to
02:23
whether it's Merrihill, the shopping centre or going through to Wensbury and then directly onto
02:29
the metro network and you know I just think this is so critical to the economic future of
02:34
this part of the country because I was at the Black Country Living Museum earlier today and
02:39
they were telling me how you know they've got aspirations to have half a million visitors
02:44
come into that fantastic visitor attraction every year. About 90 percent of people that go
02:49
to that museum at the moment use their car to get there so if people are actually visiting Birmingham
02:55
you know are spending time in central Birmingham that direct connection out on the public transport
03:01
network for people that don't know the area I think is you know a fantastic thing for
03:07
local communities here and so you know that's why I wanted to come along speak to the construction
03:12
team and learn about the progress that's being made. But if you're bringing people in from other
03:16
parts of the country isn't it quicker to have a heavy rail line that can connect up to
03:22
different parts of the country? So I think we always have to find a balance in these investments
03:27
and it's about what provides good value for money for the taxpayer and I think schemes like this do
03:34
if you think about the overall tram extension from Wensbury down to Briarley Hill that's about 600
03:40
million pounds worth of investment. We've also got obviously a huge construction scheme happening
03:48
between London and Birmingham at the moment which is HS2 which is tens of billions of pounds to
03:54
construct that new railway that's going to slash journey times as well just as this new tram will
03:59
slash journey times from central Birmingham to communities like Dudley and Briarley Hill and so
04:05
it's really what you're trying to achieve and I think in terms of the way in which people live
04:09
their lives you know being able to jump on the tram and go and visit friends and family access jobs
04:16
access education as well this is really really important and you know the people that are
04:21
building this new tram link it's going to be their kids and their grandkids that are going
04:25
to be able to be using it in the coming years when it's up and running. You spoke about the
04:30
generation now from the point of view of Dudley Town Centre is it going to be good for Dudley Town
04:37
Centre having a link that takes people right up to the shopping centre big out-of-town shopping
04:43
centre which many blame for the demise of Dudley Town Centre and to Wolverhampton and to Birmingham
04:47
is that going to be beneficial for the regeneration of the high street? So I think we need to have a
04:54
new approach to how we regenerate our high streets because I think people are shopping
05:00
in different ways and we can't turn back the clock we do have out-of-town shopping centres
05:06
we need to make sure that there's cultural facilities leisure options in our town centres
05:13
places where people can go have a meal you know that's why I thought that looking at what the
05:18
Black Country Living Museum are trying to do in the heart of Dudley and they've got exciting plans
05:23
as well they were telling me about about the way in which they would like to do more on their site
05:28
there this is about jobs you need to create footfall in the town centres but our town centres
05:34
aren't going to be exactly the same as they've been over the last few decades but will it create
05:39
footfall or take it out? Well I think it works both ways doesn't it so it you know some people
05:44
that are living in the centre of Dudley will want to get to Merrihill shopping centre but they will
05:49
also want to access jobs in other parts of the Black Country but it also gives people the ability
05:56
to come in and so public transport is absolutely critical to driving economic growth I think the
06:03
question you're asking me is a slightly wider one about the future of our high streets we're
06:07
working very hard as a government on things like reviewing business rates as well over the longer
06:13
term so we can ensure that we've got you know thriving local businesses in the heart of our
06:18
community all over the country. Heidi Alexander, thank you very much.
Recommended
5:51
|
Up next
The Express & Star join Dudley Council as they lead a pothole fixing blitz along Peartree Lane, Dudley.
Express & Star
31/03/2025
1:07
Fresh footage of the new Dudley College construction being built on the site of the former Dudley Hippodrome.
Express & Star
19/02/2025
1:18
The Express & Star talk to Jack Mills and his dog Murphy from Dudley at Crufts.
Express & Star
06/03/2025
0:36
Ian Rawlings, chairman of the Dudley Remembers group, talks about the forthcoming event at Dudley College.
Express & Star
28/10/2024
0:33
Neighbours car hits house update in Dudley.
Express & Star
10/04/2025
21:50
The Express & Star talk to former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Dudley candidate Marco Longhi.
Express & Star
27/06/2024
2:29
Andy Street interview at Dudley bus station
Express & Star
11/03/2024
4:57
The Express & Star talk to the people of Brierley Hill about buses and how often they're late.
Express & Star
17/01/2025
1:08
Aerial footage shows the ongoing college development in Dudley.
Express & Star
04/10/2024
3:32
The Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley
Express & Star
21/03/2025
4:04
Remembering the life of legendary Dudley cop Charlie Davenport
Express & Star
10/12/2024
7:23
The Express & Star's Mark Andrews talks to West Midlands mayor Richard Parker about his plans to franchise the bus service, during his visit to Wolverhampton Bus Station
Express & Star
09/05/2025
1:42
MPs and Councillors talk about Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley
Express & Star
15/02/2024
5:38
Dudley reacts to being branded West Midland's unhappiest town
Express & Star
05/12/2024
16:20
Mark Andrews chats to Dudley Zoo director Derek Grove, who is retiring after 45 years
Express & Star
21/05/2025
6:14
Reporter James Vukmirovic chats to the traders of Dudley about the effect recent parking charges are having on the footfall in the town centre.
Express & Star
09/10/2024
2:40
The Big Chippy Dudley
Express & Star
02/02/2025
10:28
Holocaust survivor in Dudley tells her story.
Express & Star
17/01/2025
2:24
Dudley Winter Ales festival on its way.
Express & Star
24/11/2024
0:13
St George's Day event at Dudley Zoo and Castle
Express & Star
27/04/2025
0:21
Crufts, Murphy from Dudley.
Express & Star
04/03/2025
4:06
The Express & Star talk to Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight during his visit to Shelby & Co bar at Birmingham Airport.
Express & Star
10/01/2025
2:43
A walk-through the Meadow Lark pub, Dibdale Road, Dudley.
Express & Star
15/11/2024
0:24
Wreckage removed from fatal Dudley crash site
Express & Star
19/10/2024
1:37
Dudley North MP backs hospital strikers in Parliament speech
Express & Star
14/03/2024