Dudley Port Tram Stop’s Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Extension is Well Underway

Construction is progressing steadily on the Midland Metro Alliance’s Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Extension (WBHE), and on 14 August 2025, a small delegation from Pell Frischmann had the opportunity to visit the Dudley Port tram stop site.

The WBHE project, which is being designed and delivered on behalf of Transport for West Midlands in two phases, comprises an 11-kilometre segregated tram corridor, with a short section of on-street running through Dudley and Brierley Hill. The extension includes 14 tram stops and 35 bridges, all of which have been either designed or reviewed by Pell Frischmann as part of the alliance. Tram stop design extends beyond the installation of shelter foundations; it encompasses retaining structures and access solutions that facilitate public movement from the highway network to the tram corridor, often involving level changes of 6–7 metres, and up to 10 metres at locations such as Merry Hill Shopping Centre.

During the site visit, our team was guided through the newly constructed access ramp, which was designed by Pell Frischmann. The team also received an overview of the upcoming construction schedule for the remainder of the tram stop. The accompanying photographs illustrate the base of the retaining wall for the access ramp, complete with waterproofing, as well as the formwork for additional walls that were poured earlier that morning.

Tram stops serve as the public interface with the network and are therefore complex, multidisciplinary undertakings. The Civil Structures team played a central role in coordinating and integrating efforts across various disciplines, both internal and external. Collaboration with the track alignment and land boundaries teams ensured that our designs were consistent with the overall tram route and remained within the Midland Metro Alliance’s land post-handover. Engagement with drainage teams led to iterative refinements of our structures to optimise water management and prevent pooling. Additionally, coordination with utilities and systems teams helped mitigate the risk of service clashes during construction, thereby avoiding delays and cost overruns.

Over the past five years, our team has supported the development of this scheme from initial concept through to site supervision. This has involved rigorous structural and geotechnical calculations, 3D modelling with full clash detection, and detailed reinforcement modelling. Constructability was a key focus, with ongoing dialogue with steel fixers to ensure practical implementation. These models were ultimately used to generate the 2D construction drawings required for delivery.

Throughout the construction phase, we have continued to support the delivery team via site visits and prompt responses to technical queries. In some instances, unforeseen constraints necessitated design modifications. These were addressed through pragmatic, holistic, and constructible solutions developed in close collaboration with the delivery team.