Grant approved to protect region's bus services

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) provides a subsidy of about £50m per year to support the bus network

A subsidy to "secure" the future of a regional 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 extend 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), who recommended the extension, provides a subsidy of about £50m per year but relies on the grant to ensure 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.

Ms Shaw has passed on the decision to approve the financial agreement to the interim executive director Sandeep Shingadia after she stepped down from the role earlier this month.

"This (grant) 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," said Ms Shaw.

Earlier this year, WMCA agreed to press ahead with the mayor Richard Parker's plans to bring the bus network under public control for the first time in almost 40 years.

Under the new franchise system that will begin in 2027, the TfWM and regional leaders will take control of routes and timetables and set fares, as well as make long-term investments in services.

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."