Commuters 'deserting Metro'

Almost half a million Metro passengers deserted the service over the last two years, new figures reveal today.

Travel Midland Metro lost 400,000 passengers a year since 2006, down from 5.2 million.

Regional transport body Centro wants to see 5.8 million people using the trams by 2010 so it can lobby the Government for funding to extend the service. But the latest figures show a two per cent drop on last year's numbers and only 4.8 million passengers a year, prompting calls for a monthly check on the line's performance.

By comparison more than 310 million people used buses in the region last year.

In a report to Centro's business improvement committee Chris Hinde, clerk to the authority, said two Easter holidays in the same financial year had contributed to drops in numbers.

Mr Hinde said: "A key problem with Metro patronage is there is no opportunity to recover lost journeys.

"If there are problems on a bus route, passengers will switch to another bus. Metro passengers have no alternative but to switch to a bus or possibly a car or cancel their journey altogether."

Councillor Mavis Hughes, who chairs Centro's business improvement committee, said: "The figures are a little distorted. I have travelled on that tram in rush hour and it is packed so full the conductor cannot get to everyone." National Express West Midlands, which owns the Metro and 80 per cent of the region's buses, today disputed Centro's findings. Spokeswoman Carly O'Donnell said: "Our research indicates there has been an increase in passengers."