Pat McFadden Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East Pat McFadden MP for Wolverhampton South East
Businesses on the A41 Bilston Road saw trade plummet during a six-month Midland Metro scheme to replace tram tracks in 2017. Bilston Road was partially closed for 6 months during this period.
Four firms went out of business as customers stayed away, while others saw profits slump by up to 80 per cent.
During this time, I worked with the traders on this I appealed to the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street on behalf of the traders at the time the works were happening but it fell on deaf ears. I even wrote to the Secretary of State for transport on the issue.
The traders went through a very tough time and some went bust before the works were completed. When the meeting last week emerged with the West Midlands Combined Authority, the traders had their hopes raised.
This week, we learn that the meeting with the WMCA has come to nothing and the combined authority will not be compensating traders for the period in which the Bilston Road metro works took place. There will be a huge amount of anger, frustration and disappointment from the businesses along the Bilston Road.