Balfour Beatty gets Midland Metro extension nod

BALFOUR Beatty has been named as the preferred bidder to build an extension of the Midland Metro through Birmingham city centre.

Centro, the region’s transport authority, has invited the firm to develop a ‘best and final offer’ for the project which will see the tram line extended from Snow Hill station to New Street station.

Over the next few months Balfour Beatty will be working with Centro’s project team and key stakeholders to finalise the design and construction proposals.

Centro’s chief executive Geoff Inskip said: “This is a prestigious project in the heart of Birmingham and it demands a construction partner of exactly the pedigree and calibre of Balfour Beatty.

“We worked with Balfour Beatty last year when they built the Metro bridge for us over Great Charles Street. That was a clear demonstration of their proven track record in delivering projects on budget and on time.”

The extension will see trams follow a route from the existing stop at St Paul’s via a new Snow Hill stop and then along a £9m viaduct already built by developer Ballymore.

It will then go down Upper Bull Street, Corporation Street and on to Stephenson Street, stopping outside a new entrance at a rebuilt New Street Station.

The extension is scheduled for completion in 2015 with major work starting on street in early 2013.

The new fleet of trams, which are to be built by Spanish manufacturer CAF, will start running in 2014.

Meanwhile contractor Morgan Sindall has already begun work on a £13m extension of the Metro maintenance depot at Wednesbury.