Agenda item

The Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands presented four key reports to be discussed at the upcoming WMCA Board meeting on 11 October.

She reported on the Bus Depot Strategy and highlighted the need for the strategy to remove barriers for bus operators entering the region. She confirmed that while no immediate financial decisions were required, each depot site would be assessed through an individual business case, with the aim of being self-financing where possible.

Bus network stabilisation was the second report. The Director for Transport for West Midlands confirmed that it followed discussions held during the summer regarding further grant agreements with bus operators to maintain services from January 2025, as current agreements expired in December 2024.

She reported that the third report outlined a new Target Operating Model for Ring & Ride and Demand Responsive Transport services, starting from April 2025. She confirmed the report emphasised the need for a five-year funding allocation to secure best value, optimise services, and attract new customers.

Finally, the Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands covered the Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030 report and indicated that it set out key actions involving various partners, including the WMCA, local authorities, and emergency services, to achieve the ‘Vision Zero’ policy of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030.

In regard to the Bus Depot Strategy, Councillor Robert Alden requested that a review of the costing be undertaken to ensure that they were accurate and thoroughly checked as the process progressed so that the WMCA Board fully understood what it was committing to. He also indicated that significant number of uninsured drivers were on the road and queried how this could be addressed as they were more likely to be involved in an accident.

The Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands stated that each depot acquisition would be subject to a business case but the report to WMCA Board was more specific around the adoption of the strategy, and she assured councillors that the action plan for uninsured drivers was on the action plan.

In response to Councillor Liz Clements, the Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands discussed the challenges of operating the bus network, including the barriers to competition posed by depot ownership. She highlighted that the bus market was struggling, requiring heavy subsidies, with fewer operators bidding for contracts due to high start-up costs and that the strategy was proposed to address these issues, regardless of the future operating model. Regarding road safety and in response to Councillor Liz Clements and Pervez Akhtar, she reported that a business case on speed enforcement was reviewed, with adjustments being made in collaboration with local authorities. She confirmed that the strategy involved a mix of average speed enforcement, spot enforcement, and mobile units in partnership with West Midlands Police and confirmed discussions were ongoing with the police to explore revenue options, including the potential to retain some of the fines locally. The Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands also confirmed efforts to centralise contracts for camera enforcement aiming for better financial efficiency.

Councillor Carol Hyatt shared anecdotal evidence of Ring & Ride and shared the potential benefit of the proposed target operated model being implemented, stressing the importance of getting it right first time and the value the investment could bring.

Councillor Pervez Akhtar considered that lack of information within the summary report did not allow for effective scrutiny ahead of the Q&A with the Mayor. This was supported by the Chair, and it was confirmed that the call-in process will be shared with the committee along with the final reports once completed.

Councillor Harbinder Singh emphasised that the primary goal of speed cameras was not to generate revenue, but to reduce speed and improve safety. He pointed out that there is no issue of racing cars in Coventry due to the presence of speed cameras and stressed the importance of deploying them across the region to prevent fatalities caused by the absence of such measures. He also highlighted the financial burden on the NHS from injuries and casualties resulting from road accidents. The Chair agreed, highlighting the need for collaboration between Operation Hercules and average speed cameras.

The Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands discussed the costs involved but acknowledged that while protecting lives was priceless, there is still a necessary financial commitment. She confirmed that work was being done within the business case to explore all funding options between organisations.

Councillor Ian Kettle raised additional concerns about the societal impact of racing cars on public highways, including the costs of damages and the antisocial behaviour, such as noise nuisance, affecting communities. Councillor Liz Clements requested continued efforts by local authorities to lobby for funding and seek Government support to cover the associated costs.

Resolved:

The reports that were due to be presented at the WMCA Board on the 11 October 2024 be noted, and committee members continue to input on these subjects through discussions in the Member Engagement Groups.