Free bus travel leads to millions of extra journeys

A free bus travel scheme has resulted in five million extra journeys across the West Midlands in a year, officials say.

The Passenger Incentive Programme, funded by the government and delivered by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) in partnership with bus operators, was launched in May last year.

Participating employers and organisations were offered free or discounted travel for staff, which included hospital workers. Free evening travel was also available in the run-up to Christmas.

A final decision on moving to a bus franchising model for the region, which would put services back into public control, will be made next month.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said the scheme aimed to encourage people to make the long-term switch to bus travel.

Care leavers, apprentices, and charity workers also benefitted, he said.

"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," he said.

"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."

Earlier this month, TfWM said thousands of people had taken part in a three-month consultation on whether the county's services should be brought back into public control.

The free travel scheme is part of a wider £20m programme by TfWM, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), aimed at helping the bus network recover from falling passenger numbers post-COVID and rising fuel and operating costs.

Beth Fiducia-Brookes, artistic director at Coventry-based Underground Lights, which supports people with experience of homelessness and mental health challenges, said the scheme helped her employees.

"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," she said.

"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."

There are an estimated 236 million journeys on the West Midlands bus network every year, officials added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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