The development of two new railway stations on the Walsall to Wolverhampton line can continue following a deal with a new contractor.
Ground preparation works at the Willenhall and Darlaston railway station sites were paused recently after the main construction contractor Buckingham Group went into administration in August.
Construction and infrastructure group Kier has now acquired the group's rail contracts. Transport for West Midlands, which is leading the two projects, has struck a deal with Kier meaning work can now resume.
When completed, the two stations will give Willenhall and Darlaston direct access to the rail network for the first time since the 1960s, offering services to Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
They will run an hourly service between Walsall and Wolverhampton and an hourly service between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton.
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An update on the project will be presented to the West Midlands Combined Authority's board on Friday.
The pause in work and refresh of the construction contract following the takeover means that both the budget and timescales for completion will be revised following a detailed review over the coming weeks and months.
Prior to the collapse of Buckingham Group, the estimated opening date for Willenhall was early next year with Darlaston due to launch a few months later.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "For Buckingham Group staff who were working on Willenhall and Darlaston stations, the last few weeks have understandably been a difficult time.
"That's why it's great news that we will see many of them back on site now that we have reached agreement with Kier.
"We wanted any pause or disruption in works to be kept to an absolute minimum and we worked closely with Kier to resolve this matter swiftly.
"Most importantly of all for residents right across our region, this means we can now get on with delivering these railway stations."
Cllr Mike Bird, leader of Walsall Council and combined authority transport chief, added: "Although there have been a difficult few weeks on site, we can now look ahead with renewed enthusiasm.
"This will not only offer local people easy access to the railways, it will make Willenhall and Darlaston more attractive to investors and businesses, creating regeneration opportunities and new jobs for locals. This is why it is vital we get back to work at the earliest opportunity."
Joe Incutti, group managing director of Kier Transportation, said: "We're pleased that the contract novation for the Willenhall and Darlaston station projects has been completed, following our acquisition of parts of the Buckingham Group.
"We can now remobilise the team and continue our work on this important project."
