The prime minister, Andy Burnham, has confirmed a new partnership between the government and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to take local control of bus services in the region.
Burnham said the “absolutely massive” move would protect thousands of jobs, which were threatened after the parent company behind local operator National Express indicated it was leaving the market.
The deal, which is backed by £11.5m of new government funding, will support the WMCA to keep bus services running by bringing the bus network under public control, the government said.
WMCA is working on a longer term ambition to directly control bus services through franchising, like in London and Greater Manchester, paying contractors to run the services for them.
“Government and local leaders have joined forces to keep vital bus services running for millions of people across the West Midlands, protecting thousands of jobs and empowering local decision making to deliver better, more affordable, and more reliable bus services,” Burnham said in a video posted on X.
Reacting to the government’s announcement, the shadow transport secretary, Richard Holden, questioned the move, saying it could come at huge cost to the taxpayer. He wrote in a post on X:
double quotation markBuses in Manchester and London are franchised (ie owned by a private company but operated under a local authority brand.) It seems strange that the Government didn’t try and facilitate this or encourage another private operator to take over the enhanced partnership operation in the West Midlands but instead transfer c. £100m of liabilities to local taxpayers backed by The UK Govt & ultimately UK taxpayers.