West Midlands bus journeys reduce by 58 million kilometres as Mayor calls for major reform
Distances travelled by buses on the West Midlands network are drastically decreasing, resulting in renewed calls for a major reform.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
West Midlands Combined Authority’s draft ‘State of the Region 2024/25’ shows the kilometres travelled by buses over the past 14 years had dropped from 173.27 million in 2010 to 115.11 million last year.
Covid resulted in a large drop in usage but levels have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the report.
Soon after he was elected, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker set out his plans to introduce a bus franchise system to replace the current deregulated model, a consultation on which is currently running until March 30.
He said Transport for West Midlands subsidised the current service with £50 million per year and yet the public still had no control over fares, routes and timetables.
Mr Parker said 80 per cent of all public transport users in the West Midlands are bus passengers.
The draft State of the Region report said: “In the West Midlands, there has been a consistent reduction in the number of bus kilometres travelled by West Midlands Bus service over the past 14 years.
“This has decreased from 173.27 million in 2010 to 115.11 million in 2024, representing a 33.6 per cent reduction.
“There was a noticeable drop between 2020 and 2021, where kilometres travelled fall from 151.52 million to 129.15 million, a reduction of 22.37 million kilometres, in line with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although 2022 saw an increase, numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
“The West Midlands relies heavily on bus travel for its public transport network.
“However, with declining bus patronage, the network has become increasingly dependent on public funding, with approximately £50 million spent annually to sustain it.
“As a result, the size and scope of the bus network, have decreased. Bus reform holds the greatest potential to revitalise and transform transport in the West Midlands.
“This includes making the bus network more reliable, raising standards, and enabling residents and communities to access employment opportunities, as well as leisure and cultural events with friends and family.
“Additionally, many journeys in the WMCA area involve active travel. Integrating walking and cycling with the public transport network is equally important to improve connectivity and reduce traffic.
“Efforts must be made to ensure that connectivity is inclusive, allowing everyone to access jobs, growth, homes, and journeys.”
People will be able to take part in the online consultation by visiting the Transport for West Midlands website at https://www.tfwm.org.uk/consultations/bus-reform/.
