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The Midland Metro is a Light-rail Tram system in the West Midlands of England . It runs between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury . The system is owned and promoted by the public transport body Centro , but is operated by Travel Midland Metro . Midland Metro carries about five million passengers annually, fewer than expected. ROUTES
Line One, the 20.2-km (12.5-mile) Birmingham to Wolverhampton route, was opened in 1999 , and runs mostly along the trackbed of the former Great Western Railway line between the two cities, which closed in 1972. At the southern end, the present terminus is Birmingham Snow Hill Station in Birmingham city centre. At the northern end, trams move off the former railway trackbed to run along streets to a terminus at St Georges in Wolverhampton city centre. Places served by Line 1 are listed below.
VEHICLES AND SERVICES The Metro operates a fleet of 16 Type T-69 articulated two-car trams, which were built by s apply. Throughout most of the day services run at eight-minute intervals, although less frequently at weekends. According to British Trams Online the T-69s are to be replaced with a fleet of 40 new vehicles from an as yet unknown supplier. The T-69s have had reliability problems since introduction and with each vehicle being different to all others maintenance is very difficult. FUTURE EXTENSIONS Although fewer people use the trams than expected, expansion to the system is planned, including in the near future an on-street extension through Birmingham city centre running close to Birmingham New Street Station then to Five Ways and Edgbaston (one of the critisms of the current system is that it does not serve directly the shopping area of Birmingham), and a branch from Wednesbury to the Merry Hill Shopping Centre at Brierley Hill . An order authorising the city centre extension was made in July 2005. {Link without Title} There had been talk of running the tram line through Birmingham city centre in tunnels, rather than through the streets. However the council axed this option in October 2005. {Link without Title} Further into the future, Phase Two extensions are proposed to link Birmingham city centre to Birmingham International Airport . Another line is planned to connect Wolverhampton to Dudley , Wednesfield , Willenhall (connecting with Line One), and Walsall . The section of the Midland Metro between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill (via Dudley) is expected to be opened in 2008, while the line heading eastwards from Birmingham may open in 2010. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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