£4.5m innovation centre set to revolutionise public transport
A NEW £4.5m transport innovation centre in Dudley could help to revolutionise public transport in both the West Midlands and eventually, the UK as a whole.
The Light Rail Innovation Centre was one of the principal measures announced by the Government in its package of measures as part of the expansion of local Growth Deal settlements in the West Midlands.
The Government awarded the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership an additional £24m – on top of its already announced £138m – to go towards new local growth initiatives.
The innovation centre will aim to deliver future technologies for use in light transit schemes. It will provide a wide range of facilities to support industry networking, education, research and development, prototype vehicle design and construction.
It is being run as a partnership between Dudley College and Warwick Manufacturing Group, and will create 50 new jobs.
But the centre is just one of the many improvements lined up for the sub-region as a result of the additional funding.
Investment will also go into the strategic development of Wolverhampton City College to support at least 3,000 learners and 50 businesses, while the money will also help bring forward another element of the on-going Walsall Waterfront regeneration programme – a mixed-use, leisure & housing development set to create 160 new jobs.
On the same theme, infrastructure and improvements to public spaces is also planned in Dudley town centre. This will help to bring up to 500 jobs to the town.
Measures already announced as part of the overall Growth Deal in the Black Country include a new Centre for Advanced Building Technologies and Construction Skills, the Wolverhampton Interchange transport hub, which will include a new railway station, the Bentley Lane Remediation project aimed at creating 11ha of high quality employment land and the Advanced Science, Engineering & Technology Centre at Halesowen College.
A major refurbishment and extension of the Wolverhampton Civic Halls and theatre complex is also planned, as are further improvements to the M6 at Junction 10 to improve capacity and reduce congestion, while supporting the development of the Black Country Enterprise Zone.
Stewart Towe, chair of The Black Country LEP, said: “The expansion of the Black Country Growth Deal is welcome news as it reinforces the momentum behind the renaissance of the Black Country. The additional investment will increase capital grants and support for business, equip the next generation with the skills they need to provide new housing and create a Light Rail Innovation Centre to develop the technology.”
Cllr Darren Cooper, chair, Black Country Joint Committee, LEP Board Member and leader of Sandwell Borough Council said: “The Black Country Growth Deal is a testament to our Black Country vision and strong partnership. The additional investment announced will boost the quality of life in the Black Country by creating more jobs and building additional homes.”
The ultimate aim of the Growth Deal in the Black Country is to create up to 5,000 new jobs, build 1,400 new homes and unlock £310m of public and private sector investment.
