00:00A new tramline has been proposed to link Birmingham city centre with the airport, running through
00:05Digbeth, the NEC and the HS2 interchange. It's part of a wider vision to overhaul travel
00:11in the region and reshape how people, jobs and investment move.
00:17For passengers it could mean a single uninterrupted tram ride from the city to the terminal, cutting
00:22out motorways, congestion and rising parking costs. For the West Midlands it's being sold
00:28as a growth engine, one that unlocks areas longer neglected by infrastructure funding.
00:34The plan is still in its early stages. Transport for West Midlands is developing the business
00:40case now, with formal consultations expected at due course. If it gets the green light,
00:45the first stretch, connecting to Borsley Green and the NEC, could be built within the next
00:50few years. Light devices would take it all the way to the airport and HS2 interchange,
00:55creating a full eastern transport corridor. At the heart of the proposal is a pitch to
01:01government and private investors. Supporters say the tram could spark billions in regeneration
01:07by connecting deprived areas directly to key employment and travel hubs. They're calling
01:13it a spine for growth, a way to drive footfall to the NEC, relieve road pressure and tie the
01:19airport into national networks. Right now airport access still depends heavily on road travel.
01:26The M42 remains prone to bottlenecks, especially near the terminal slip roads. Public transport
01:32exists but it's fragmented. Buzzes, taxis and the air rail link from Birmingham International
01:37Station all play a role but none provide the seamless option this tram aims to deliver. Away from
01:44the blueprints, the airport itself has been growing through its own changes. Passenger
01:49numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels but pressure on infrastructure remains. Security
01:55lines have been expanded to deal with increased footfall, now moving thousands of passengers
02:00per hour. The broader economic heist for the tram is being tied to the government's so-called
02:06levelling up agenda. Backer site East Birmingham and parts of Solihull have missed out on major
02:11transport upgrades for decades. A direct connection to HS2, the airport and city centre could bring
02:18business and housing into areas that have long been left behind. But big infrastructure
02:24schemes don't land without friction. There are already concerns about construction impact
02:29from roads closures to noise. Some residents also believe whether the benefits will actually
02:35reach the communities along the route or simply funnel into the NEC and transport. Historically,
02:40Birmingham scrapped its tram network in the post-war years. What's on offer now is a reversal
02:46of that logic. A lung-slow return to joined-up public transport. But with council budget stretched
02:53and government priorities shifting fast, whether it actually gets built is still a very open question.
02:59What's on offer now?
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