Birmingham
LRT

As of 7/3/2001, problems with initial construction quality has resulted in closing large parts of the line. According to a post from one person who works at the Metro:

" the Metro currently has major problems with the infrastructure... The overhead line system has developed
serious faults with the "Section Isolators" which are the components that separate the overhead line into smaller sections to enable parts to be switched off if a tram snagged the line, or there was an accident, etc... These isolators have been failing over the last few days, causing total loss of the overhead supply, and indeed failure of the cable itself. Things have now got so bad that the Railway Inspectorate have closed part of the system down where we run along the street towards Wolverhampton, because there was the possibility of the live line falling on passing vehicles or pedestrians, with fatal consequences...There is now emergency planning going on to get the entire system repaired a.s.a.p. but there is every likelihood of the rest of the system having to be closed for safety reasons, which has never happened to a tram network that I'm aware of. Those of us within the company are totally frustrated at the situation, because it is a direct result of cheap contracts during construction, and not down to the everyday operational running that we do.... We are now facing daily abuse from passengers, uncertain shifts during the limited running that we are allowed to do (which changes daily), and fatigue is becoming an issue now. What started out as the 'Future For Midlands Public Transport' is rapidly turning into a major embarrassment for all of us that work there."