Five million extra bus journeys under 'landmark' try-before-you-buy scheme
The £20 million Passenger Incentive Programme has been funded by the government and delivered by Transport for West Midlands
There have been five million extra bus journeys taken in the year since Mayor Richard Parker took office - following the rollout of a 'landmark' travel scheme to get more people to try taking public transport.
The £20 million Passenger Incentive Programme has been funded by the government and delivered by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) in partnership with bus operators, and it offers free or discounted bus travel to participating employers and organisations to encourage people to make the long-term switch to bus travel for their daily commute.
Since May 2024, five million journeys have been made under the try-before-you-buy scheme - meaning the network's now seeing 236 million journeys every single year.
TfWM say those who have seen seen the most benefit include hospital staff, care leavers, apprentices and charities.
Also part of the travel offer was a scheme in the run-up to Christmas, which was rolled out in a bid to support the region's night time economy.
The Mayor said: “Already we have thousands of people who rely on the bus network every day for their essential daily journeys. But getting more people onto our bus network means we can cut traffic congestion and deliver cleaner air for our region.
“That’s why I am doing what it takes to get our buses working for everyone and why we are looking at bringing them back under public control, making them easier and more affordable for everyone.
“The uptake on the free travel has been fantastic. We’ve seen five million extra journeys over my first year in office but we still need to do more to make the region's buses work better for local people.”
Among those to benefit is Coventry-based Underground Lights, an organisation that supports people with experience of homelessness and mental health challenges through a programme of creative workshops and community-led theatre.
Beth Fiducia-Brookes, artistic director for the charity, said: “It's wonderful to see the impact this free travel offer has had on our members, enabling them to access our workshops, and other opportunities in the region.
“Our members have made 3,381 journeys through this scheme, and they say they feel less stressed and have a greater sense of freedom and wellbeing as a result."
And like with other parts of the country, the Mayor has proposed moving to a bus franchising model which would put services under public control.
A final decision will be made at the WMCA Board meeting in May, following a three-month public consultation earlier this year.