West Midlands Advances Sprint With £26M Fleet
West Midlands approves £26M for 24 electric buses on Sprint rapid transit route
West Midlands Approves £26M Sprint Bus Fleet
West Midlands transit officials approved purchasing 24 electric buses for the Sprint rapid transit project, moving forward a long-delayed plan to connect Walsall, Birmingham and Solihull. The West Midlands Combined Authority Board greenlit the full business case Friday, March 13, committing £26 million for the new fleet and charging infrastructure. An additional £5.5 million will cover ticketing equipment for the tram-like buses that'll run along dedicated priority lanes on the A34 and A45 corridors.
Project Faces Years of Delays
The Sprint scheme was originally announced in 2018 with plans to launch by the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but the project has faced multiple delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and significant cost increases. The continuous bus priority route aims to provide faster, more reliable service across three major West Midlands communities. Work on infrastructure including new bus stops, extended bus priority lanes and signalling has been carried out in the first phases, officials said.
Fleet Specifications and Timeline
The 24 tram-like electric buses will operate on dedicated priority lanes along the A34 and A45, creating what officials describe as a rapid transit corridor. The £26 million investment covers the vehicles and charging infrastructure needed to support the all-electric fleet. The £5.5 million ticketing equipment allocation will provide modern fare collection systems. Officials haven't announced when the buses will enter service or how frequently they'll run once operational.
Airport Link Still Under Development
Solihull Council leader Karen Grinsell has called for extending Sprint service from Birmingham Airport to Solihull town centre, noting no fast public transport currently connects these locations. Transport for West Midlands Executive Director Sandeep Shingadia confirmed work is ongoing to develop a connection to Solihull town centre, though officials haven't provided a timeline for when that extension might be completed. The current Sprint plan focuses on the Walsall-Birmingham-Solihull corridor along existing roadways.
Impact on Regional Connectivity
Birmingham City Council cabinet member Majid Mahmood welcomed the bus purchase, calling it the final step in the Sprint vision. Mahmood emphasized that buses are the backbone of Birmingham's transport system, connecting people to jobs, education and opportunities. The Sprint project represents one of the region's largest investments in bus rapid transit infrastructure. Riders can track Sprint service updates and plan trips across the West Midlands network using Moovit's real-time transit information.
