New Great Barr plan can help open up cross-city travel, says Mayor Andy Street
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says a pioneering new bus service being launched to Great Barr will pave the way for genuine cross-city services, saving passengers time changing buses.
Andy, who leads the West Midlands Combined Authority, said the new service will run from Longbridge to Hamstead, and is being funded by a £70 million award that will pay for four new routes linking up Birmingham communities.
He said: “This new route to Great Barr is one of four which will open the way for plans that will run across the city.
“These cross-city bus routes will better connect local people right across our region - cutting journey times for passengers, improving the public transport customer experience and demonstrating what the future of urban mobility can look like.
“Thanks to the £70 million funding award we recently secured, we can further enhance services here in the West Midlands - with a particular focus on reliability so that we can make daily commutes faster and more dependable.
“Whether residents are on the move for work or play, we’re making the bus a more attractive option for all in the months and years ahead.”
New bus lanes, amendments to junctions, traffic signals, parking and bus stops will allow buses to bypass traffic jams and provide more reliable, regular and predictable journey times, with enhanced shelters and information ensuring an improved travelling experience for passengers.
The four new routes will run from Longbridge to Hamstead, Longbridge to Castle Vale, from West Bromwich to Chelmsley Wood and from Bartley Green to Chelmsley Wood.
Andy added: “Bus travel remains the most popular form of transport in our region, with more than 260 million journeys a year, and we need to make it even more attractive to encourage people to leave their cars at home.
“People in places like Great Barr and Hamstead will be able to get access to new opportunities and have a smother daily commute thanks to this service.”