West Midlands Metro extension not ready for Commonwealth Games

Midland Metro Alliance said testing on the Wolverhampton extension would begin after the Games, subject to tram availability

A tram extension in Wolverhampton will now not open until later this year, despite hopes it would be completed in time for the Commonwealth Games.

The Games start in nearby Birmingham on 28 July and Wolverhampton will host the cycling time trial.

Construction has been ongoing to join up Wolverhampton railway station with the St George's stop across the city.

The extension has already been pushed back by 18 months due to hold ups related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The construction of the city's railway station has also affected work.

Midland Metro Alliance (MMA) said on Friday testing would begin after the Games, which run until 8 August.

A spokesperson for the MMA, which is building the extension under contract from the West Midlands Combined Authority, said the majority of construction activity was "set to be completed in early July", but "some minor public realm works" would not be finished before the Games.

They added the work was part of a "complex interchange project".

West Midlands Metro trams were back in service on Thursday after repairs that took more than two months.

Trams resumed between Wolverhampton St George's and Birmingham Bull Street stations after services were suspended in March when cracks were discovered in the fleet for a third time.