West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has assured Willenhall residents that construction of their two new railway station is back on track, after a deal was struck with a new contractor.
Ground preparation works on both the Willenhall and Darlaston railway station sites halted in early October, after the main contractor Buckingham Group went into administration. Now Kier, a leading UK infrastructure group, has taken over the construction contracts.
Mr Street, who leads the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “I can understand why local residents were frustrated to see work stop on their new stations.
“After many months of work, everything was in place to build these stations and bring passenger services back to these communities.
“For the Buckingham Group staff who were working on stations it was obviously a difficult time too - that’s why it’s great news that we will see many of them back on site now that we have reached agreement with Kier.
“Most importantly of all for residents right across the West Midlands, this means it’s now full steam ahead to deliver these railway stations - providing the transport links that local people in Willenhall want.”
The new stations will give Willenhall people direct access to the rail network for the first time since the 1960s, offering services to Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Two trains per hour will call at the stations, an hourly service between Walsall and Wolverhampton and an hourly service between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton.
Plans are also progressing to reopen a station further down the line, at Aldridge.
Mr Street added: “Creating a world-class public transport system is an important part of our region’s plan to achieve net zero by 2041, but projects like these stations will also make a huge difference for the communities they serve.
“It means businesses will be able to relocate along the line, bringing even more opportunities for local people. When we have the stations open, along with car parks and transport links, I think they will become hubs for growth.
“What’s more, by getting people out of their cars and onto good quality public transport we are tackling both congestion and the climate change emergency at the same time,” he said.
Both stations will have two platforms, big enough to accommodate six-carriage trains, as well a pedestrian footbridge, stairs, lifts, ticket machines, drop-off areas.
There will also be a 150-space car park at Willenhall.
Willenhall’s original station, which was called Willenhall Market Place, first opened in 1872 but was closed to passengers in 1931. It closed entirely in1965, under the ‘Beeching’ cuts.