West Midlands Advances Public Bus Control Plan
West Midlands Combined Authority approves franchising plan to purchase bus fleet and depots
West Midlands Approves Public Bus Control Plan
Bus riders across the West Midlands will see services shift to public control as the regional authority moves forward with a franchising system. The West Midlands Combined Authority Board approved a plan to own or directly lease all bus vehicles, including purchasing National Express' existing fleet of diesel and electric buses, officials confirmed. The decision marks a major milestone in returning control over fares, routes, and schedules to public hands.
Franchising Model Shifts Control
The franchising system will give the Combined Authority direct control over bus operations that've been run by private operators for decades. Under the new model, the public authority will own the vehicles and infrastructure while contracting operators to run services according to publicly set standards. Last year, the Combined Authority agreed to press ahead with moving from the current private operator-led model to franchising. West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said franchising will return control over bus fares, timetables, and routes back into the hands of the public.
Fleet Purchase Includes Electric Buses
The authority will purchase National Express' existing fleet at a cost not publicly disclosed due to commercial sensitivity. Around a third of the National Express stock is electric, and the WMCA will take over its electric bus contract. However, officials noted the full franchising assessment had expected more electric vehicles to have been purchased by the operator by now. A number of diesel vehicles hadn't been replaced and were now older than expected. A full condition assessment will be carried out on each vehicle before purchase to determine their condition and remaining service life.
Depot Purchases Also Approved
The Board also approved a decision to purchase bus depots across the region as part of the transition to public control. Should there be a shortfall in buses to run services, WMCA would bring forward the purchase of new vehicles or get bus operators to provide their own on a short-term basis. Officials didn't provide a specific timeline for when the franchising system will be fully operational or when depot purchases will be completed.
Riders to See Service Changes
The shift to franchising will eventually affect all bus riders in the West Midlands region, though officials haven't announced when changes to fares or routes will take effect. The authority will control service planning and fare structures once the transition is complete. Riders can track real-time bus updates and plan trips across the West Midlands network using Moovit's transit app.
