Birmingham deserves better buses
We can’t fight the climate crisis and get cleaner, healthier and happier cities without buses.
Buses are a lifeline for thousands of people in Birmingham. They are already one of the most climate-friendly ways of getting around, but they need to be fully electric and more accessible, reliable, convenient and affordable to work for Birmingham citizens and visitors.
Congestion slows down average bus speeds, and even a small drop in bus frequencies penalises the poorest and most marginalised residents as they are more likely to rely on buses, pushing people towards personal car ownership. We need timetable and route decisions to be based on public need and transport management priorities, not simply profitability.
The system is broken. It’s time for change.
At the moment, buses in Birmingham are run under an ‘enhanced partnership’ between the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the bus companies.
To get proper public control, we need to change the way bus services are organised so that the responsibility of buses sits firmly with the WMCA. This is called franchising.
Giving the public control of public transport can ensure buses are operated in the public’s best interest. This means more control over fares, routes, and frequency of services, and profits from busy routes can be used to subsidise quieter ones. Other cities and regions have shown how buses are better under public control:
London buses are world-class; they are integrated with trains, tubes and cycle hire, frequent, and have a simple fare structure.
Edinburgh's Lothian buses have some of the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Reading Buses can invest an additional £3 million per year into its network. It now has one of the largest green fleets in the country.
Nottingham City Transport is the only bus operator to win ‘UK bus operator of the year’ five times.
The West Midlands Combined Authority is carrying out an assessment of bus franchising. Now is the time to make it clear that people want to take our buses back under public control, and change the system to bus franchising in our region.
Get involved
Add your name to the petition and stay in the loop for other campaign actions. This link will take you to the Acorn West Midlands website.