Small bus companies invited to bid for 20 West Midlands routes in Mayor's plan for public control

The Mayor of the West Midlands has announced he will be backing smaller bus companies in the next phase of bringing buses under public control.

Mayor Richard Parker invited small and local bus operators to bid for 20 selected routes across north Birmingham and Walsall with seven contracts up for grabs.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has designed the series of single-route franchise opportunities, which mean that a private bus operator wins a contract to run one specific bus line for a period of time, allowing smaller businesses to secure a foot in the market.

In the announcement made today (October 20), Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, said: “We have brilliant, independent bus operators across the West Midlands who know our communities well, but they've often been squeezed out by larger companies.

“By creating single-route contracts, we’re giving local businesses the chance to win, grow, and play a part in delivering a public transport system our region can be proud of.

"Bringing our buses back under public control is all about delivering better routes, affordable fares, and reliable timetables while creating a fairer and stronger economy, especially for the thousands of people who rely on buses for their daily journeys.”

Under the new franchising model, routes, timetables and fares will be set by the Mayor and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), making the network directly accountable to the public.

The second phase will launch in Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton in 2028 and the final third phase in Solihull and south Birmingham in 2029.

To find out more about the future plans visit the Your Bus, Your Say campaign website: Shaping what comes next for buses | West Midlands Voice