A section of the A4123 Birmingham New Road will shut for eight days next month for the extension of the West Midlands Metro line. The busy A-road will be closed at either side of the former 'Hanson's Ale' Bridge - located between the A4307 Tipton Road and A461 Burnt Tree in Dudley - from June 7 to 10 and June 14 and 17.
The bridge, which earned its name from the Hanson's Mild Ale logo inscribed on both of its sides, was demolished in December 2023 to make way for the West Midlands Metro extension between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill. A new bridge will be built in its place to carry the trams over the A-road.
A further one-way closure of the Birmingham New Road will be in place from June 21 to 24, allowing traffic only to head in the Birmingham direction. A new bridge deck is set to be installed on site next month, said Dudley Council, which warned of potential delays for motorists and public transport users.
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Birmingham New Road closures
- June 7 - 10, full closure at either side of the bridge
- June 14 to 17, full closure at either side of the bridge
- June 21 to 24, partial closure with one-way traffic allowed in Birmingham direction
A Dudley Council spokesperson said: "The bridge installation works on the Birmingham New Road, as part of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension, are near completion. The new bridge deck will be installed next month following the removal of the aged structure last year.
"Drivers are advised to allow extra time when traveling in the area. Public transport users should check with their operator for any route changes. Pedestrians are asked to follow the clearly signed diversion route."
The upcoming closure of Birmingham New Road forms part of phase one of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension. It will see the tram brought through Great Bridge and Dudley Port areas of Tipton, cross the Birmingham New Road and Tipton Road before travelling up Castle Hill into Dudley town centre.
Dudley Interchange
A new transport interchange is currently being built in the town centre to make way for the West Midlands Metro and replace Dudley's bus station, which closed in January 2024. Here, passengers will be able to catch buses and trams. The £24million interchange is set to open in 2025.
Transport for West Midlands, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), said: "Dudley Interchange is a new, state-of-the-art transport hub that will allow passengers to utilize bus services and the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension. The new interchange will provide significant improvement to local transport and connectivity for Dudley, and is part of the general regeneration of the town centre."
Phase two of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension will see the tram line travel onwards from Dudley into Brierley Hill. Work on the project will start once the first phase is complete, said the WMCA.
