Only a fifth of services will run and half of lines will be closed.

Sandwell Council has submitted four bids for up to £80 million in Government cash to transform parts of the borough.

A three-bedroom house in Bilston is on the market for an eye-catching £36,500 but it comes with a stipulation - it requires a lot of work, new windows especially, and it must be brought to a decent home standard within 12 months in order for complet...

The main operator of express trains in the West Midlands is urging people to avoid using the railways for unnecessary journeys as the rail strike enters its third day today.

Community members have come together to launch The Lighthouse Community Cafe, where people can meet to have a bite, grab a cuppa and collect free fresh groceries.

We've had the kitchen done. Everybody says they love the colour. Duck-egg blue, since you ask.

The Gypsy King cut a colourful figure as he drew a large crowd to a special night of entertainment.

Ten years ago, the Express & Star embarked on a Black Country Census.

Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has announced Craig Guildford as his preferred candidate to be the next Chief Constable of West Midlands Police.

Two brothers have been jailed, and guns and ammunition seized following a police raid.

A Dudley school rocked by Covid and a lack of support has been branded inadequate by Ofsted after they criticised leaders and the quality of education there.

The rail industry is concerned that many people are reluctant to abandon leisure trips planned for Saturday despite another rail strike taking place.

Community groups and charities in the Black Country are being given the chance to build a brighter future.

Cannock Chase Council is holding a consultation ahead of major changes of its Hackney Carriage Private Hire License (HCPHL) policy.

Sandwell council has been found to be in breach of its statutory duties after reports show it knew for at least seven years it did not have an up-to-date map of public rights of way in West Bromwich.

Communities across Sandwell will be able to cheer on baton-bearers after the routes through the borough for the Queen's Baton Relay were announced.

Birmingham New Street will close at 7pm on Saturday due to RMT strike action as passengers are advised to only travel if necessary.

Questions have been raised after Sandwell council approved the use of unspent coronavirus recovery funds to boost projects, amid claims of a ‘lack of scrutiny’.

An eleventh person has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a taxi firm boss.

A rapper who repeatedly stabbed a man he overheard arguing with his ex-partner has been found guilty of attempted murder.

The chief executive of Birmingham Airport has been given a 49 per cent pay rise.

Work on a highly-anticipated Metro route is expected to enter a new phase next week.

Almost 2,000 excited children got on their marks for the annual Black Country School Games Summer Festival, held to inspire sports activities.

Sandwell refuse collectors are voting over whether to take strike action during the Commonwealth Games.

The programme for a celebration of queer artists from across the Commonwealth has been announced as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

Sentencing of two men who carried out an armed robbery at Kidderminster's Matalan store has been delayed.

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard urged the Cabinet to consider resigning.

A "very distressed" girl who police wanted to trace after she was seen outside a pub in Dudley has been found safe and well.

The Liberal Democrats won Tiverton and Honiton, which had previously been held by the Tories with a 24,000 majority, while Labour won Wakefield.

The Ukrainian president called for the world to “spread the truth” about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tyson Fury has been spotted out and about in Wolverhampton ahead of his special meet-and-greet in the city later tonight.

Fears have been raised that vulnerable people are missing out on vital support because they can’t get face-to-face help from Walsall Council.

The first design images have been revealed of Washwood Heath Depot, HS2’s maintenance facility and main control centre for the whole HS2 network, which will create more than 550 jobs.

Oldbury brothers Connor and Michael Goodwin will have to wait another week to find out if they have been found guilty of murder after a juror in their case contracted Covid.

Dedicated NHS professionals with a combined service of more than 3,826 years have been recognised at a special ceremony.

A new service at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital has been shortlisted for a national award.

A Sandwell road was cordoned off after a suspected Second World War grenade was found.

Labour is still lagging behind the Tories and needs to do much more to win the next general election, Lord Austin has said.

A council is on the lookout for companies to provide stalls and activities for children at this year’s fun day at Lichfield's Beacon Park.

A crematorium is throwing open its doors next weekend for an open day with a difference.

The region's Tory MPs today insisted there was "no time for navel gazing" after their party got battered in two by-elections.

With inflation at its highest rate since the 1980’s and the cost of living soaring, many people are struggling.

In 2021, a 3.5 metre tall puppet of a ten year-old Syrian refugee embarked on a remarkable journey, starting from the Syrian/Turkish border and travelling across Europe in the hope of finding a new home.

A man is in hospital after he was stabbed in the chest in Stafford.

A man managed to flee after being held up at knifepoint in Staffordshire.

The leader of Dudley Council has been found to have been ‘disrespectful’ to the commander of the town’s police force, after an investigation into his behaviour upheld only one out of six points.

An international bhangra star returned to his Wolverhampton primary school to inspire the next generation of dancers.

Two theatre lovers who have dedicated decades of their lives to amateur dramatics are celebrating 60 years of marriage.

Rehearsals are underway for a traditional part of the Commonwealth Games cultural programme, offering a warm welcome to those taking part.

The publication of the draft Black Country Plan in June 2021 sparked protests to save the green belt across the four boroughs.

Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said the Ukrainian troops have been given the order to leave Sievierodonetsk to avoid being surrounded.

Tamworth Borough Council’s Mayor has announced The Tamworth Wellbeing & Cancer Support Centre as her chosen charity for the 2022/2023 mayoral year.

There are concerns in Kyiv that Germany and France will push President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a ceasefire.

The Prime Minister said the only circumstances in which people will be sent to East Africa would be if they come to the UK illegally.

The EU also granted candidate status to Moldova, which borders Ukraine.

Swathes of the Black Country’s green belt can be saved by building homes in shopping areas and on old industrial sites, a leaked report has claimed.

Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb has welcomed the Government's announcement that it will outlaw flashing online images sent to trigger seizures in people with epilepsy, following a two-year campaign she was involved in.

Sir Lenny Henry has told how the late Eric Morecambe encouraged him to always be proud of who he is.

Responsibility for local parks in Kidderminster could be transferred to town councillors by Wyre Forest District Council.

A former carer of a now-closed care home has said she told a resident's family to remove their loved one due to the 'horrendous lack of treatment'.

The award-winning actor was among nine recipients to receive the honour at a ceremony held at the university.

Members of the GMB and Unite unions based at Heathrow have backed industrial action.

Two men from Walsall and a 24-year-old from Burntwood were among 11 suspects arrested during a £160,000 drugs and cash swoop.

A ‘nuisance’ Wolverhampton pub has lost its licence for the second time in two years, following a catalogue of angry complaints from neighbours and repeated incidents where police were called.

A corner shop in Wolverhampton that was caught selling alcohol to a 16-year-old will have its licence reviewed by council bosses.

Dudley Building Society has reported improved profits for 2021-2022.

A Bus Travel Task Force for Worcestershire is being set up to review current bus provision and ensure bus travel is able to meet residents’ needs.

The Mayor of Sandwell, Cllr Richard Jones, has opened a diversity festival at a school which is one of only ten in the country to receive a prestigious award.

The jury is deliberating in the case of a 25-year-old accused of attempting to murder a man in Wednesbury.

A city teacher and leader for a Premier League programme has been rewarded with a superstar status.

Remorseless Nezam Salangy was told he must serve a minimum of 18 years for murdering and then burying his wife.

It marks the latest major Western brand to announce the permanent withdrawal from Russia over the Ukraine war.

People across the West Midlands looking for things to do this weekend have plenty of attractions, events and parties to look forward to.

A firm specialising in office telephone systems has changed hands.

Students at Sutton Coldfield’s Arthur Terry School stepped into the Dragon’s Den when they took part in a day-long challenge designed to build their teamwork skills.

A senior Conservative MP said that industrial action would amount to another ‘lockdown’ for children.

American superstar Barry Manilow shocked staff of a country pub on Tuesday by turning up with his entourage.

Tesco is offering members of the Armed Forces a free hot breakfast at Tesco Cafés in Shropshire ahead of Armed Forces Day this Sunday.

A Dudley artist who cares for his partner who suffers from encephalitis is donating paintings to a fundraising exhibition on Twitter.

Former Grange Hill and EastEnders star Todd Carty will head the cast when Agatha Christie’s iconic thriller arrives in the Midlands.

More than 220 bags of litter were collected by volunteers in three separate litter picks during spring in litter hotspots across Walsall.

A 25-year-old accused of attempting to murder a man he overheard arguing with his "baby mother" told a jury he thought the woman was in danger.

Central England Co-op is rolling out body cameras for workers at a further 38 stores.

A Wyre Forest village school is joining a multi-academy trust, which already serves five primaries and two high schools across the district.

A woman has been handed a hefty fine after household waste belonging to her was found fly-tipped in Cannock.

A four-week murder trial shone a light on the murky world of drug dealing and "drill music", and how they combine to create a lethal cocktail of bravado, violence and gang disputes.

A pilot service has been launched to offer support to new refugees in Wolverhampton.

A secondary school in Oldbury has staged its first big musical production since the end of the pandemic – and threw open its doors to invite hundreds of local primary pupils to enjoy it.

Ethnic minority workers at Wolverhampton Council earn an average of 75 pence an hour less than their white counterparts, recent figures have revealed.

Russian forces took control of the villages of Loskutivka and Rai-Oleksandrivka, and are trying to capture Syrotyne outside Sievierodonetsk.

As the railways grind to a halt, those in charge of our main roads are on a higher state of alert.

One of the UK’s leading independent events for engaging young people in engineering is returning for the first time since Covid-19 struck.

Lawyers have issued a civil writ against an alleged conspirator in the Birmingham pub bombings and West Midlands Police.

Opportunities for improving international trade will be discussed in Birmingham when it stages the 2022 Commonwealth Games.