Balfour misses out on tram extension alliance
THE contractor that worked on the delayed £128m Midland Metro extension has been left out of a new alliance to build future tram lines across the region.
Balfour Beatty, which was criticised for delays to the scheme between Snow Hill and New Street station, is not part of the partnership to build four more tram routes over the next 10 years.
The Midland Metro Alliance, which comes into effect on July 4, comprises West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) which owns the Metro, rail construction specialists Colas Rail and a consortium of design experts made up of Egis Rail, Tony Gee and Pell Frischman.
The alliance will also feature Colas Rail’s partners – Colas Ltd, Barhale, Thomas Vale and Auctus Management Group.
WMCA said the agreement will see all parties in the alliance “share the risks and rewards” between them.
Cllr Roger Lawrence of the WMCA said with work already underway to expand the Metro the “time was right” to introduce a new way of working.
“For the first time we now have the funding to deliver the first four schemes under the Metro improvement programme – a total of £1.2bn,” he said.
“Alliancing agreements are a dramatic departure from traditional contracting methods as staff work as an integrated team and tie the commercial objectives of all parties to the actual outcome of the project.”
He added: “In bringing together the Midland Metro Alliance we have built a team of unprecedented local and international experience who bring both the skills and commitment needed to make the expanded Metro a reality.”
Midland Metro Alliance director, Iain Anderson, added: “This is an extremely exciting opportunity for all parties within the alliance.
“The scale of the proposed development programme, and the commitment to a 10 year duration provides us with a unique opportunity to develop efficient bespoke solutions, build long term relationships with key stakeholders and to play a major role in the enhancement of the communities within which we will be operating.”
The Midland Metro runs between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, serving locations such as the Jewellery Quarter, West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Bilston.
The extension to New Street from Snow Hill station was part of a £128m project that saw the purchase of a new 21-strong fleet of Urbos 3 trams, a refurbished depot at Wednesbury and new stops at Snow Hill, Bull St, Corporation St and Grand Central.
The 1.4km section of track between Snow Hill and New Street was scheduled to open in late 2015 but works over-ran and it did not fully open until May 2016.
