West Midlands Bus Alliance renews agreement

Members of the West Midlands Bus Alliance have signed a landmark agreement to encourage further high standards of service and reliability for the region's buses.

The agreement, signed at the Coach & Bus UK Show, ensures continuing enhancements to the bus network across the region up to 2020.

It aims to make bus journeys better value, tackling congestion and making it easier to catch a bus and buy a ticket. Furthermore, the new agreement will shape the bus network to improve economic growth and improve bus emission standards.

Roger Lawrence, lead member for transport for the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “Four out of five public transport journeys made here are by bus - that’s an enormous number of people. The bus network is of fundamental importance to this region which is why continuing investment in the network by ourselves and operators is so important.

“In doing so we will enable people to go about their lives supporting and contributing to the local economy and creating a vibrant and integrated region. The bus alliance has been a great success and I welcome the further improvements that will be brought under this new agreement.”