Proposed metro extension aims to link city to airport

National World - LocalTV

A proposed 17 km tram route from Birmingham city centre to the airport could transform how people travel, ease congestion and boost local jobs. But liquid restrictions at security remain unchanged. We breakdown what’s in store for passengers and the community.

Transcript

00:00A new tramline has been proposed to link Birmingham city centre with the airport, running through

00:05Digbeth, the NEC and the HS2 interchange. It's part of a wider vision to overhaul travel

00:11in the region and reshape how people, jobs and investment move.

00:17For passengers it could mean a single uninterrupted tram ride from the city to the terminal, cutting

00:22out motorways, congestion and rising parking costs. For the West Midlands it's being sold

00:28as a growth engine, one that unlocks areas longer neglected by infrastructure funding.

00:34The plan is still in its early stages. Transport for West Midlands is developing the business

00:40case now, with formal consultations expected at due course. If it gets the green light,

00:45the first stretch, connecting to Borsley Green and the NEC, could be built within the next

00:50few years. Light devices would take it all the way to the airport and HS2 interchange,

00:55creating a full eastern transport corridor. At the heart of the proposal is a pitch to

01:01government and private investors. Supporters say the tram could spark billions in regeneration

01:07by connecting deprived areas directly to key employment and travel hubs. They're calling

01:13it a spine for growth, a way to drive footfall to the NEC, relieve road pressure and tie the

01:19airport into national networks. Right now airport access still depends heavily on road travel.

01:26The M42 remains prone to bottlenecks, especially near the terminal slip roads. Public transport

01:32exists but it's fragmented. Buzzes, taxis and the air rail link from Birmingham International

01:37Station all play a role but none provide the seamless option this tram aims to deliver. Away from

01:44the blueprints, the airport itself has been growing through its own changes. Passenger

01:49numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels but pressure on infrastructure remains. Security

01:55lines have been expanded to deal with increased footfall, now moving thousands of passengers

02:00per hour. The broader economic heist for the tram is being tied to the government's so-called

02:06levelling up agenda. Backer site East Birmingham and parts of Solihull have missed out on major

02:11transport upgrades for decades. A direct connection to HS2, the airport and city centre could bring

02:18business and housing into areas that have long been left behind. But big infrastructure

02:24schemes don't land without friction. There are already concerns about construction impact

02:29from roads closures to noise. Some residents also believe whether the benefits will actually

02:35reach the communities along the route or simply funnel into the NEC and transport. Historically,

02:40Birmingham scrapped its tram network in the post-war years. What's on offer now is a reversal

02:46of that logic. A lung-slow return to joined-up public transport. But with council budget stretched

02:53and government priorities shifting fast, whether it actually gets built is still a very open question.

02:59What's on offer now?

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