Mayor’s free travel scheme delivers five million bus journeys in first year

Five million extra bus journeys have been taken since Mayor Richard Parker took office a year ago, thanks to a landmark free travel scheme to get more people to try the bus.

The Passenger Incentive Programme, funded by government and delivered by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) in partnership with bus operators, offers free or discounted bus travel to participating employers and organisations to encourage people to make the long-term switch to bus travel for their daily commute.

Since May 2024, five million journeys have been made under the try-before-you-buy scheme, which aligns with the Mayor’s Journeys for Everyone priority to connect communities and cut car dependency by offering better, more affordable alternatives.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, unveiling a free travel voucher billboard in Digbeth, in September 2024

Among those to have benefitted from free travel are hospital staff, care leavers, apprentices and charities. A free evening travel offer was also used to support the region’s nighttime economy in the run up to Christmas.

The free travel is part of a wider £20 million programme by TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), to help the region’s bus network recover from falling passenger numbers post Covid and rising fuel and operating costs. 

The Mayor said: “Already we have thousands of people who rely on the bus network every day for their essential daily journeys. But getting more people onto our bus network means we can cut traffic congestion and deliver cleaner air for our region.

“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.

“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.”

The incentive scheme is funded by the Department for Transport through the region’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and is one of several initiatives designed to support a passenger-led recovery of the local bus network.

As part of the £20 million programme, TfWM, is offering free bus travel to targeted groups, including care leavers and apprentices, to support them as they begin a new chapter in their lives or careers.

The offer has proven particularly popular with large employers, NHS trusts, colleges, councils and charities. It allows them to encourage staff and service users to try the bus and consider a long-term shift in how they travel.

Among those to benefit is Coventry-based Underground Lights, an organisation that supports people with experience of homelessness and mental health challenges through a programme of creative workshops and community-led theatre.

Beth Fiducia-Brookes, artistic director for the charity, said: “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.

“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."

With 236 million journeys a year, buses are the backbone of the West Midlands public transport network. But with funding pressures and falling ridership in some areas, they need continued support to boost passenger numbers, keep services running, and maintain low fares.

To tackle these challenges and help people switch to long-term public transport use, the Mayor has proposed moving to a bus franchising model which would put services under public control. A final decision will be made at the WMCA Board meeting in May, following a three-month public consultation earlier this year.

Organisations across the region can apply to take part in the incentive scheme through the TfWM website.