A £1 billion tramline project is being proposed to connect Birmingham city centre with the airport, the NEC, and the HS2 interchange at Arden Cross. This major transport link is expected to boost economic development across East Birmingham and North Solihull.
Backed by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and investor Tom Wagner, the project targets some of the region’s most deprived communities, with the goal of tackling high unemployment and child poverty. As part of this effort, the mayor has already fast-tracked over £62 million in funding for the Birmingham Eastside Extension, enabling work on the next phase of the tram network to begin later this year.
The initial stretch of the new tramline would run from the HS2 station at Curzon Street, through Digbeth, to the proposed £2.9 billion Birmingham City FC Sports Quarter in Bordesley Green. If approved, this section could be operational by 2030, coinciding with the stadium’s planned completion.
In the longer term, the tramline is expected to extend to north Solihull, providing direct links to the £3.2 billion Arden Cross regeneration scheme and the NEC, creating a seamless transit corridor across key parts of the region.
With an initial public investment estimated at £350- 400 million, the project is anticipated to unlock billions in private investment, generate thousands of jobs, and support the West Midlands’ ambitions to become a hub for green technologies and advanced manufacturing.
In a joint statement, Richard Parker, Labour leader of Birmingham City Council John Cotton and Conservative leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council Ian Courts say it will ‘bring new jobs, better transport, more homes and stronger communities to the people who live here.’
The proposal has received strong cross-party political backing and support from business and sports leaders across the region. If given the green light, the tramline could become a vital piece of infrastructure supporting the rollout of HS2 and the future growth of the West Midlands.
