The £24 million development of a new Dudley Interchange station has secured full planning permission.

Partners in the scheme, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and Dudley Council, will now move onto the next stages including securing remaining parcels of land, finalising the detailed designs and appointing a construction contractor, before building work can begin.

The project will see the existing 1986 built bus station, the oldest in the West Midlands, demolished to make way for a modern bus and Metro tram interchange allowing passengers to seamlessly move between services.

The first phase of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension is currently under construction and set to open in 2024 when it will offer frequent services from Dudley town centre to Wolverhampton and Birmingham. The second phase will see the route go to Brierley Hill, including a stop at the Merry Hill Shopping Centre.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said:

“This is another significant milestone in the development of the new Dudley Interchange and I would like to thank the planning committee for supporting this important scheme."