Solihull Councillor Admits Bus Confusion, Demands 'Total Change' for Franchising
A Solihull councillor who openly admits 'I don't travel on buses because I don't know how to' has called for radical transformation in how bus services are marketed and operated across the West Midlands. Councillor Andrew Burrow made the striking confession during a West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) joint overview and scrutiny committee meeting, highlighting what he describes as a widespread communication failure that prevents people from using available public transport.
The Marketing Problem and Subsidy Paradox
Councillor Burrow, who represents the southern part of Solihull, pointed to a perplexing situation where residents continue to rely on their cars despite subsidised bus routes running exactly where they need to go. 'As an ex-private sector person, I cannot believe how awful the marketing is in my area,' he stated, emphasising that by marketing he means understanding customer needs and communicating effectively with potential passengers.
'If I talk to my residents about the customer service levels, it doesn't surprise me we haven't got people on buses in my area,' Burrow continued. 'I speak to people around where I live, and that's common. You do it if you only have to.' He revealed that his own lack of bus usage stems from not understanding how the system works, a sentiment he believes is shared by many in his community.
The Franchising Opportunity
The councillor's comments came as WMCA bosses confirmed that studies are being conducted to inform the transition from the current private operator-led model to a franchised bus network. Burrow had previously requested research into why car users in areas with subsidised routes don't switch to buses, and he sees franchising as the opportunity for fundamental change.
'We've got to get those people onto the buses, including me, because that way it reduces the subsidy and we can run more services,' Burrow argued. 'But it is going to require total change, when we go to franchising, in the way we do stuff. That's my great hope for franchising.'
Regional Response and Usage Statistics
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker acknowledged the complex factors influencing transport choices, stating: 'The choices residents make about whether they use a car, a bus, or a train often depends on personal preferences but also reliability, affordability of public transport, and safety too.' He confirmed that monitoring occurs regularly around usage patterns across the region.
Despite the challenges highlighted by Councillor Burrow, Mayor Parker noted that the bus network remains the most popular mode of public transport in the West Midlands, with approximately 80 percent of public transport users relying on bus services. WMCA interim chief executive Ed Cox added that multiple studies are underway as part of the franchising preparation work, including examination of the very issues Burrow raised about car users not switching to available bus services.
The discussion highlights ongoing challenges in encouraging modal shift from private cars to public transport, even when subsidised routes exist, with communication and customer understanding emerging as critical barriers that franchising arrangements might address through more coordinated approaches to service delivery and passenger information.
