£1 billion West Midlands transport funding key for levelling up - mayor
A billion-pound plan to revolutionise transport in the West Midlands will provide a "powerful vehicle" in delivering the Government's levelling up agenda, the region's mayor has said.
The West Midlands has been handed £1.05bn in City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) funding, which is expected to rise to £1.3bn with local top-ups.
Conservative mayor Andy Street says the award shows the region has continued to make a "compelling case" to attract investment while other areas had missed out.
And he said the ability to attract investment along with a "determination" to develop improvements had been a "pivotal factor" in the region's success.
Mr Street said: "Levelling up aims to create a more balanced economy, ensuring investment and opportunity reaches communities across the nation.
"In the West Midlands we are proving that transport investment, allied with local decision making, can provide a powerful vehicle to deliver this critical mission."
The transport cash will be invested across the region over the next five years and will be used for a host of schemes, including improved bus services and an extension to the West Midlands Metro depot in Wednesbury.
It will also see a network of 10 electric vehicle charging stations across the region, while £56m has been allocated to deliver phase two of the Sprint bus routes.
Mr Street said the Bus Service Improvement Plan is a key part of the region's aims for sustainable travel.
Figures from the West Midlands Combined Authority show that prior to the pandemic, bus use was by far the most used form of transport, with 267 million journeys a year compared to 50 million for rail and around seven million on trams.
However, bus usage has now fallen off a cliff and it was recently revealed that more car journeys were now being made than before the pandemic.
