Midland Metro tram builder shortlist revealed

A SHORTLIST of five companies has been put forward to build a new fleet of vehicles for the Midland Metro tram service.

The five companies are Alstom, Bombardier, CAF, Siemens and Stadler, with the quintet now invited by regional transport authority Centro to bid for a supply contract worth up to £50m.

The procurement process is expected to last around 12 months and the new trams will be brought into service from late 2014 in time for the opening of Midland Metro’s line extension from Snow Hill to New Street station, in Birmingham, due to come on line in 2015.

Centro estimates the extension will create 1,300 new jobs and boost the West Midlands economy by £50m a year as the new trams increase passenger capacity between Birmingham and the Black Country.

Nineteen vehicles will be ordered to replace the current 16-strong fleet to deal with the expected growth in use once the 1.3km extension opens.

The trams will be approximately 30% bigger, allow more frequent services to be operated and increase passenger capacity of the system.

Chairman Angus Adams said: “This is an exciting development in the story of the Midland Metro.

“All of the candidates are leaders in their field and users of the Midland Metro can be assured that whoever is chosen will be delivering vehicles of the highest quality.”