The forthcoming extension of the Midlands Metro tram line into Dudley town centre casts a revealing spotlight on economic inequality within the borough. The initial phase is nearing completion, with further expansion planned towards Merry Hill in 2026 and Brierley Hill pending additional funding.
Tracing the route from Wednesbury into Dudley, the tram serves council wards marked by notable deprivation. Data from the 2021 census, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), illustrates the stark contrasts in household deprivation across Dudley’s areas.
The Metro line passes through Castle and Priory, St James’s, and St Thomas’s — wards characterized by higher-than-average household deprivation measured in education, employment, health, and housing domains. An average of 6% of households here suffer deprivation in three of these four areas, compared to 3.7% nationally and 4.3% across the borough overall.
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In sharp contrast, more affluent areas like Halesowen South report just 1.6% of households facing deprivation in three criteria. These deprived wards also experience elevated unemployment rates; 5.2% of the economically active population are out of work, with 14% having never worked or having been unemployed long-term. Borough-wide unemployment sits at 3.8%, with 9.6% never working or long-term unemployed.
Similar patterns emerge along the planned extension into Brierley Hill, passing through Netherton and Holly Hall and Brierley Hill and Wordsley South wards, where unemployment averages 5.5%—well above the national average of 3.5%. More prosperous wards such as Halesowen South, Hayley Green and Cradley South, and Kingswinford North and Wall Heath have much lower unemployment rates around 2.1%.
Socially rented housing also reflects income disparities. In Netherton and Brierley Hill, 28% of households reside in socially rented accommodation, versus 19% borough-wide and 17.1% nationally, indicating a higher concentration of lower-income residents along the Metro route.
In response to these challenges, Dudley Council approved the Dudley Borough Economic Regeneration Strategy (ERS) in 2024. The strategy acts as a blueprint for fostering a more equitable and prosperous economy over the coming decade. It acknowledges job losses—including 20,000 manufacturing roles over the past 20 years—and focuses on enhancing connectivity, attracting investment, and promoting growth in innovation, education, and leisure sectors.