Express & Star comment: Lower fares a great start for West Midlands Metro
A new era is about to begin for the region's tram network, but what will the future hold?
From Sunday the newly renamed West Midlands Metro service will be run by an arm of the combined authority, bringing an end to National Express's 18 years at the helm.
There is no doubt that National Express has done some excellent work in taking the tramway forward.
It is worth remembering that initially, the Metro was not everyone's cup of tea.
Some critics insisted it would never get the passenger numbers to make it commercially viable.
Others bemoaned the fact that its main route ran along a rail line that campaigners had been battling to bring back into use for train travel.
From the opening of line between Wolverhampton and Birmingham in 1999, passenger numbers averaged around five million a year.
Last year the number broke through the six million barrier for the first time.
It's a healthy enough figure, but it has long been clear that the Metro would need to be extended for it to truly serve its purpose.
And with the backing of our local councils under the banner of the combined authority, that is exactly what has happened.
Like it or not, for our local transport networks to improve across the region, we need to get more people out of their cars and onto the Metro.
The new body in charge, Midland Metro Ltd, has made an excellent start in its bid to do just that.
Bosses have already announced they will be reducing fares on some single and return journeys by an average of 10 per cent, while a new day ticket is also to be introduced.
This will come as music to the ears of passengers, and could be the fillip that persuades some rail commuters to switch to the tram.
The West Midlands Mayor and the combined authority clearly believe that the Metro is central to the future of transport across the region.
We wish them well in their efforts to increase usage of the service.
But while the transport planners are busy working on the Metro, here's a message from drivers in the West Midlands: Don't forget about the roads.
