Grant to stop cuts to West Midlands bus services agreed
A subsidy to ‘secure’ the West Midlands bus network and stop services being cut has been given the green light.
Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board have agreed to continue the Bus Network Support grant when the current deal comes to an end in December.
The new deal, which gives financial support to operators, will last for a further 15 months.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) provides a subsidy of circa £50 million per year to ensure around 30 per cent of existing services remain in operation.
Anne Shaw, outgoing executive director of TfWM, said: “We are providing commercial operators with funding as the best value for money option to maintain the reach of the network to communities.
“The current grant comes to an end in December and we are now in negotiations for the next arrangements.
“This report seeks delegations to conclude these and enter into the new arrangements from January onwards.
“If those negotiations do not result in the new grant arrangement, decisions will need to come back to the Board or if it is not within the budget provided as well.
“This should protect the network from large scale changes but, just to note, there will be some efficiencies on the bus network resulting in some changes, which we will make sure both the public and members know about well in advance of those to prevent any future confusion.”
Earlier this year, WMCA agreed to press ahead with the Mayor Richard Parker’s plans to move from the current regulated, private company led network to a franchise model.
He said deregulating the network will give the public greater control over fares, routes and timetables.
On the extension of the grant, Mr Parker said: “It is helping us stabilise and secure our bus network in the run up to franchising.
“But also it will ensure all of us take responsibility to ensure the transport network is properly funded and we are not leaving ourselves with a burden of a very large operating deficit.”
