West Midlands transport authority Centro will introduce the first of a £40m fleet of new Midland Metro trams on 5 September on the route between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, UK.
The four new CAF Urbos 3 trams are part of a 20-strong fleet that will enter into service over the next few months.
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The 20 five-section trams will replace the existing fleet of AnsaldoBreda T69 trams.
Built by Spanish manufacturer CAF, each Urbos tram accommodates 210 passengers, compared with 156 on the T69.
The new trams will provide additional capacity for the 1.4km extension from Birmingham Snow Hill to New Street station, which is scheduled to be opened in 2015.
Centro said that preliminary works have started on a further 1.3km extension from Birmingham New Street to Centenary Square.
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By GlobalDataThe UK Government’s Local Growth Fund and Local Enterprise Partnerships in the West Midlands is providing funds for the £90m project, which is the first phase of the extension to Five Ways and Edgbaston.
Earlier this month, the business case was also submitted for the Wolverhampton Interchange project, which includes a Metro extension to the city’s bus and rail stations.
The West Midlands integrated transport authority chairman councillor Roger Lawrence said: "The Midland Metro has a key role to play in providing the transport connections we need to help our region grow and prosper.
"That is why the introduction of these new trams and the forthcoming extensions are such good news for the economy, as well as for passengers who can now look forward to a more frequent and comfortable service."
The deployment of new trams will boost overall capacity by 40%, easing the overcrowding that can occasionally occur at peak times.
The trams are being assembled at CAF’s Zaragoza factory in Spain and are being delivered to Midland Metro’s Wednesbury depot at a rate of one unit a month.
Each tram will undergo extensive testing and commissioning before they enter into service.
Image: One of the new CAF Urbos 3 trams scheduled to go into service on 05 September. Photo: courtesy of Centro.
