New £1.9m Cradley Heath bus and rail interchange set to open

A NEW £1.9m bus and rail interchange at Cradley Heath will open this weekend.

From Sunday passengers will benefit from a new waiting area with toilet facilities, seating, CCTV, and improved access to train services.

Within the main building there will be four connected bus stands, each with a passenger information totem to show when buses are due and automatic doors that open only when the bus has arrived.

A new design means there will be an additional two stands on a newly constructed island, replacing the previous stop on Forge Lane.

The interchange has been built by Centro, the transport delivery body for the West Midlands.

It is being paid for through the Better Bus Area Fund, a £10m pot to improve public transport in Brierley Hill, Merry Hill and Cradley Heath.

The funding is made up of contributions from the Department for Transport, bus operators, Centro, Sandwell Council and Dudley Council.

Cllr Roger Horton, Centro lead member for rail and Midland Metro, said: “This new interchange is great news for passengers, providing first-rate facilities and the latest in information technology.

“It provides better connectivity for people using the Merry Hill shopping centre and also for local people travelling further afield.”

Brenda Lawrence, head of Snow Hill Services for London Midland, said: “The new interchange makes it easier for people to transfer between a range of transport options with bus, bike, car and train all coming together in one place.

“This really is all about improving journeys for public transport users in the West Midlands.”