We have let passengers down but next year will be better, pledges Mayor
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has urged the region to “keep the faith” with public transport after a year of chaos on trams, buses and trains.
Passenger numbers plummeted sharply in 2022 – a year that saw the Metro suspended for weeks on end, trains cancelled due to strikes and bus services pared back because of driver shortages.
The Metro has also been hit by another delay to the long-awaited extension in Wolverhampton city centre – which has bust its budget by £10 million – while the Wednesbury-to-Brierley Hill route is in the balance due to a funding shortage.
Meanwhile, Dudley’s transport interchange project will be delayed until late next year at the earliest due to long-running problems securing land.
Mr Street conceded it had been a tough year on the network. But he insisted all three modes of transport would bounce back stronger in 2023 and said the region’s commitment to public transport would eventually pay off.
He told the Express & Star: “My message is keep the faith with our public transport system.”
The West Midlands Mayor remains determined to get people out of their cars and onto public transport in a bid to protect the environment and free up gridlocked roads.
He said: "We have got to acknowledge there have been challenges over the past year.
"I understand people's frustrations but we have got to keep the faith because using public transport is the right thing to do for the environment, and it's the right thing to do to ease congestion on the roads."
Addressing issues with the West Midlands Metro, which saw services suspended after cracks were found on trams and was also hit by strikes, he said: "Those things were certainly disappointing but if we look at the position now the strike is settled fairly – and I'm pleased it has been.
"The repairs to the vehicles are done and we are now back to a 10-minute frequency which is pretty reliable.
"Next year we are hoping to improve that frequency even further."
He said the long-delayed Wolverhampton extension was finally due to open in February, and despite a huge funding shortfall he remained confident the second phase of the Wednesbury-to-Brierley Hill route beyond Dudley would go ahead as planned.
The Mayor said: "The second part is not yet funded, but the fact is that the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) board has always said the whole route remains a priority.
"No one is trying to scrap it so it is up to us to get the cash for it. Work to try and assemble that funding is ongoing."
Mr Street said government funding for the scheme was being sought, although it was more likely to come through indirect routes. This could involve the area becoming a designated levelling up zone, enabling the WMCA to borrow against future business rates to pay for it.
"Despite the challenges there is every reason to have renewed confidence in the Metro," said Mr Street.
"We know we have let passengers down but when it does run the patronage is really strong, so we can see it is a really popular method of transport."
On the railways Mr Street insisted better days were ahead after months dominated by strike action and cancelled services.
"A few years ago we were utterly fed up with the performance of West Midlands Trains, but an awful lot of work has been done by them and by Transport for West Midlands, to really get on top of all of the details," he said.
"We are now in a position where there are very rarely cancellations as a result of driver availability. We know at times there's still difficulties with the infrastructure, but actually the service has become pretty good on non-strike days.
"Of course the strike has got to be resolved, but I would say things will certainly improve – and in 12 months time we will be on the verge of opening Darlaston Station."
He said the strikes had been "very damaging", particularly for businesses in city centres, and urged both sides to "sit down and come to an agreement".
"The only way forward is for both sides to have that discussion," he said.
"A lesson from the business world is that there is a deal to be done – there always is – but you need both parties in the room to make it work."
Mr Street also said "lots of good progress" was being made with bus travel, and said lower fares would attract more passengers.
"We have still got a challenge with driver availability and we have a challenge with National Express over the sustainability of some routes," he said.
"But overall I think a great job has been done by Transport for West Midlands to put in subsidies to sustain the majority of those routes, so looking forward to next year I think we can be optimistic."
