We're taking back our buses

The journey to a fully franchised bus network has begun. Under current plans, some buses will start to operate under public control from 2027.

This means that Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) will be responsible for planning the bus network, arranging fares and ticketing, and setting quality standards.

What is bus franchising?

Bus services were deregulated in the 1980s. Since then, bus operators themselves have been responsible for routes, timetables, fares, and quality standards.

Under a franchised system, it is the Local Transport Authority (in this case TfWM) that plans the network and then contracts bus operators to run the services.

This is similar to how Transport for London operates, and Greater Manchester has also started its franchised network.

Our progress so far

In 2025, we completed a public consultation which aimed to gather opinions on whether we should franchise the bus network. Following this, the Mayor of the West Midlands took the decision to initiate the franchising process.

We are now planning, designing and implementing a franchised bus network across the West Midlands. We will provide updates as the scheme progresses.

In the meantime, bus operators will continue to run services as normal.