Plans for a new bus depot which forms part of a major scheme to transform the West Midlands bus network have been put forward. Transport for West Midlands has submitted a planning application to Birmingham City Council for a proposed new Electric Vehicle (EV) Bus Depot on former sewage works land off Lea Ford Road in Kitts Green.
Earlier this year, West Midlands Combined Authority's Investment Board approved the business case for the project, with a total budget of £19,930,000. Three quarters of this is being funded by Birmingham City Council, which will contribute a minimum of £14,930,000 towards the bill.
Key Features of the New Depot
The application said the depot will support the operation of a full electrically powered fleet of 110 buses, including overnight parking and charging, a bus cleaning building, maintenance workshop, administration offices, and other associated infrastructure.
The new facility is part of the authority's wider plan to buy up depots across the region, which forms a key part of the move to overhaul the bus network and move it to a franchise model. The existing depot which serves this part of the city has already been sold for redevelopment by National Express.
Timeline and Temporary Arrangements
The existing Birmingham depot contract will end in December 2027, and the new facility is expected to be completed and operational in early 2028 – meaning a temporary stop gap will be needed for buses in the area.
WMCA already owns the Walsall depot in Carl Street. The other depots listed for purchase include: Perry Barr depot in Aston Lane, Cox Street depot in Ford Street, Coventry, Wolverhampton depot in Park Lane, Pensnett depot in Second Avenue, West Bromwich depot in Oak Lane, Acocks Green depot in Fox Hollies Road, Birmingham Central depot in Liverpool Street, and Yardley Wood depot in Yardley Wood Road.
Franchising and Benefits
Owning bus depots is seen as a key component of franchising, with bosses saying it will help increase competition in a market dominated by one operator. West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has previously described the existing bus network as 'failing' and said franchising would give people greater control over fares, timetables, and routes.
A planning statement in the application said: "The site is located on Lea Ford Road and consists of vacant land that previously formed part of the Yardley Sewage Works. A bus depot within an established Core Employment Area represents an essential piece of transport infrastructure, for which there is a clear and pressing operational need born out of the forthcoming closure of Birmingham Central Depot and the lack of available depot facilities within the East Birmingham area."
