Mayor kickstarts plan for greater public control of bus services
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is proposing to franchise bus services, claiming the move will offer the best value for money after conducting a study.
New Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker is fulfilling one of his main campaign pledges with the move, as he vowed to bring the region’s bus services back under public control.
Current subsidy agreements with bus operators are due to finish at the end of December 2024, posing a risk for further service reductions from January. TfWM says it’s working to review services and secure further funding to maintain the network during the transition period.
Around £50m a year is being paid by the WMCA in additional subsidies to private operators to run services, but it says it’s been unable to stop fares rising and services being reduced. This is in addition to the more than £100m a year the Government and WMCA are paying to support some contracted bus services as well as the £2 single fare.
The WMCA claims that under the franchising model, bus operators would be contracted to run services, with routes, timetables, fares and other standards, such as a commitment to zero-emission vehicles, set by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the WMCA.
An independent audit of the franchise assessment will now get underway and followed by public consultation later this year, with a final decision taken as soon as the end of March 2025.
If approved, there will be a two-year transition costing £22m, during which the new bus network will be designed and contracts tendered.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA Board said: “Our buses are failing. The West Midlands is paying an additional £50 million subsidy every year to private operators and yet they increase prices and cut services year-on-year. Though the public purse is funding the incomes of private bus operators, we have no real say in how they run our buses. This has to change.
“With 232 million journeys across our region last year, it is clear that buses are the backbone of our public transport network. Without them, our residents cannot access essential services like schools, pharmacies, doctors’ surgeries or employment opportunities. I want the West Midlands to have a bus network that is affordable, accessible and works for all of our residents.
“One of my big campaign pledges was to deliver a better bus network, one that is designed for those who use it and rely on it. Today we are taking a major step toward delivering just that. Our internal assessment has shown that franchising is the best option for the region, and now we will be clarifying these findings, with a view to rolling out the first publicly controlled buses on our streets in 2027.
“The West Midlands will be the best region to live, learn and do business. It deserves a transport network that supports every resident and every business to succeed. Greater public ownership means we can work together with you – our residents – alongside local authorities and transport providers to ensure our network works for everyone, to ensure the West Midlands can thrive.”
