Work to extend the West Midlands tram network to Dudley has begun and Yasmin Bodalbhai the Central News reporter came to our site on 30 January 2020, to see how works were progressing. The works which are being carried out for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council are in preparation for the proposed construction of the Very Light Railway Innovation Centre to allow for the future alignment of the Metro Line.
https://twitter.com/InsideOBrien/status/1222797509501890560?s=20
The Midland Metro, which currently connects Birmingham and Wolverhampton, is expected to carry passengers to Dudley and Brierley Hill by 2023. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) said the tram line will “transform Dudley”, with council leader Pat Harley saying it “promises an exciting future” for the town. The new tram network will run from Dudley to Wednesbury, incorporating 17 stops.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said the success of town centres like Dudley will “hinge on transport links”. “It is great to see work progressing on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro line, helping to better connect the borough of Dudley with the wider West Midlands,” he said.
The tram extension in Birmingham opened from Grand Central station to the city’s library in December, and a busy city-centre underpass was closed to extend the line towards Edgbaston.
The first phase of the project is to construct a £4.3m wall at Castle Hill.
O’Brien Contractors have been awarded an enabling contract on the project in Dudley next to the zoo and our works involve the construction of a 150 metre long retaining wall which will be up to 11 metres high and will also involve associated bulk earthworks.
O’Brien will be acting as Principal Contractor on the project which will be carried out over a 35 week programme.
The client was looking for a contractor who could deliver creative solutions to provide an affordable scheme in line with their programme. The client also required a company with a robust supply chain procurement.
Having traded for over 60 years we have developed our supply chain to provide our business with the service required to meet our commitments to our clients. With long term trading relationships with suppliers of construction materials, aggregates, concrete, muckaway and recycling companies, we are able to select the most suitable option for each specific contract and operation which may not always be based on price, factors such as quality and performance also need to be considered.
