1 Transport for Report February 2021 3

Contents

Foreword 4

Introduction 5

Response to Covid-19 6

Delivering our priorities 16

The year ahead 22 Foreword Introduction 5

Back in January and February 2020, But I do know two things. In this document, we will be highlighting we were planning how we would what the Transport for West Midlands build on our big achievements from Firstly, we have a real opportunity (T f W M) team has achieved in response to 2019. Then throughout March, to embed a change in people’s the Covid-19 pandemic which has had a Covid-19 arrived and changed travel habits that not only rebuilds huge impact on the transport , our everything about the way we live, confidence in public transport and operators and our customers. work and travel. supports active travel but delivers solutions to our region’s congestion However, throughout the year, the team Over the last 9 months we have had problem and air quality issues. has continued to push forward many of to make changes to the transport the projects set out in our business plan network that I never could have And secondly, I know I step into 2021 and there has been some fantastic work imagined and what I have learned confident that I am surrounded by completed. is that closing a transport system colleagues and an organisation that is quite easy, but getting it back up can face its biggest challenges and This document will also inform you on and running with a whole raft of new deliver and provide an integrated what we will be working on in 2021 as measures is no easy task and one I transport system the West Midlands we head towards a post-Covid world and hope we never have to do again. can be proud of. seek opportunities to recover cleaner and greener than ever. The resilience in our T f W M team has been a beacon of light for me throughout 2020, dealing with the scale and pace of change and seeing just how far they have gone to keep our network open for customers and safe for our staff.

It’s been a year we will never forget and one we did not expect but I could not be prouder that we successfully maintained a safe, clean and functioning transport system for the residents of the West Midlands. Laura Shoaf This year will be another year like no other, with unknown challenges as a Managing Director post-Covid society emerges and the Transport for West Midlands world redefines its relationships. Response to Covid-19 7

Our five-point plan was introduced across Our priority had to be our customers. Our front-line staff at bus stations and on the March - April the organisation with teams asked to Metro kept our facilities and services running deliver: From very early on we knew, to make the alongside the wider transport community most informed choices to protect staff and of bus drivers, train drivers, metro drivers, In March 2020, the Local Resilience 1. An Operational plan – looked at our customers, we needed to understand conductors, cleaners and security teams to Forum was mobilised in the West how we would plan services with our our network in detail. We knew the make sure even our heavily reduced network Midlands and our teams were quickly providers to ensure that any reduced historical figures, models and averages was available every single day. embedded in regional strategic, tactical services were serving priority corridors were not going to be suffice. Daily or and communication groups alongside and were integrated multi-modally, even real time data was key to ensure Our Travel Choices team contacted every N H S trusts, emergency services and local so that maximum coverage could be we understood what was happening on local N H S trust and sourced employee and authorities. maintained, if at reduced frequency. the network and our Data Insight team postcode data that enabled us to map key This included our Ring and Ride certainly stepped up to that challenge. We worker journeys using the tools our Data The focus of T f W M during this crisis was service, and how it could support the accelerated work that was planned for the Insight team created. This allowed us to plan defined quickly by our leadership team community needs in the coming weeks; Regional Transport Coordination Centre a bare minimum network that would best with our main aim to keep safe, clean and (R T C C), and the team within days had serve our key workers and maintain access to functioning transport available for those 2. A People plan – ensured we could collected millions of points of data from hospitals. This was shared with operators and that need it. support our outward facing staff, local authorities, operators and the N H S . local authorities, creating simple but effective including the Over time this tool developed, evolved and models in days that previously could have This was critical to ensuring that the staff, who were dealing with the public grew and continues to be updated daily in taken us months. region’s key workers, and those who relied on a day by day basis (in addition to the a web portal format which is accessible to or chose to take public transport were core work of our office-based staff); all our partners. Ring & Ride vehicles were re-purposed from still able to reach jobs as well as health, their usual role of carrying the elderly and community and educational facilities. 3. A Financial plan – looked at This data and intelligence has enabled vulnerable, and put to work providing a implications for our transport providers us to make informed decisions that have dedicated shuttle service for N H S key workers (including Midland Metro Limited) on supported the most vulnerable in our based on that intelligence. To date over 35,467 loss of revenue which needed to be communities, supported our key workers, journeys have been made on the service. addressed via Government; our staff, and brought the whole transport community and our local authorities Bus Operations followed by the Metro were 4. A Capital Projects Plan – reviewed all together to coordinate a safe, clean and the first to offer free travel to N H S key workers our schemes to consider the impact on functioning transport network. even when patronage was at its lowest ever delivery due to skills and supply chain levels and profit was non-existent. shortages; and As operators reduced services and government advice was changing With supermarkets opening early for O A Ps, we 5. A Recovery Plan – looked at what the daily, our T f W M communications team supported them by removing the pre 9.30am new normal would look like and what maintained a high level of information to concessionary travel restrictions so they could behaviour change we would like to see our stakeholders and kept our customers travel for free and not have to go later in the as we eventually move past this crisis. updated with the latest information day at greater risk. through a variety of channels. The Safety, Security and Emergency Planning The Customer Service and Ticketing team not only led our initial response and teams, with the support of Digital & Data, embedded us in the Local Resilience Forum worked remotely for the first time ever, but ensured that the Nightingale Hospital had while experiencing some of the highest an accessible transport plan. They coordinated demand they had ever seen as customers the testing of transport frontline workers with cancelled tickets and needed support. our operators, the first region in the UK to bring this in. Response to Covid-19 9

Utilising the West Midlands Network We ensured: To ensure we had a safe, clean network, May – July brand family, we achieved one clear and we introduced enhanced cleaning regimes easy to understand message across the • Free masks were made available and across all modes and infrastructure, and whole public transport network including handed out across bus stations, Travel & our work through the West Midlands Bus As the lifting of lockdown began to look across our commercial operators. The Information Centres, transport hubs as Alliance and Transport Recovery Cell has like a reality, our attention turned back to West Midlands Combined Authority’s well as on the Metro; ensured this is consistent across operators. our customers. We understood that our Design team with T f W M’s Communications New technologies such as Thermo fogging customer service and ticketing team would team turned around hundreds of pieces of • We were one of the first in the country and e-sprayers were also used. need to process thousands of people back artwork and printed thousands of stickers to issue exemption cards and badges to onto direct debit. This was a huge challenge and posters, updated websites and created support those people who feared being for our digital design team working on the simple animations in a matter of days to refused travel. West Midlands Network website to create a ensure the public knew what they had to do simple user-friendly online application that to stay safe and stay apart. captured all of the right data in one form for the ticketing team to process in a matter of Following the announcement of the weeks. mandatory use of face masks on vehicles, T f W M worked with operators and partners New government guidelines were issued, to ensure a high level of compliance was and social distancing rules were in place. adhered to across the network. While Our operators had to plan how they could most do comply, we have mobilised a task carry passengers with a 2m distance, and force in conjunction with our Safer Travel we had to look at how we would we keep Police team to patrol key interchanges and customers at stops and interchanges 2m educate customers and enforce through apart; our Bus Stations team and Integrated directions to leave and fixed penalty notices Exempt Network teams alongside our Health and West Midlands Bus Misc messaging for repeat offenders. 9 Safety team spent hours developing Covid risk assessments toWest keep Midlands our services Bus open. Bus station messaging 7

West Midlands Railway StairWe and set floor up a stripTransport vinyls Recovery Cell, 13 WMR Stations which broughtThese together floor transport vinyls leaders for internal use only from T f W M, operators, local authorities, Highways , and others. Stay apart WMR Stations This group has been Stayable Safe to work through problems, share TheseknowledgeStay floor Apart and vinyls ideas for and internal use only Stay apart West Midlands Railway Floor way-finding vinyls 11 use our data sourcesWe’re to working coordinate hard to keep everyone safe. and Stay apart Stay Safe agree our operational response.You must wear a face covering when WMR Stations travelling on public transport Stay Apart Stay apart Stay apart Example poster placement Stay Safe Dispose of face coverings or gloves in litter You must wear a face covering when bins or at home travelling on public transport

Keep space between yourself and others In return for this free face covering, please Stay apart consider making a donation to NHS charities: Carry hand sanitiser and wash your hands nhscharitiestogether.co.uk Stay Safebefore Stay and Apart after travelling floor vinyl Stay apart 150mm2 Stay apart Allow others to get off the bus before Timetable filler advice getting on Snow Hill Stay Safe Stay apart Arrows Stay Safe Stay Apart Step Vinyl Floor Vinyls Pay for your ticket in advance or use Step vinyl 1000x50mm 150mm2 Step Vinyl Staycontactless whereSafe possible 1000 x 50mm TVM 1000x50mm Stay Safe You must wear a face covering unless exempt under Thank you for supporting our efforts. the regulations. Enjoy your journey. Stay Apart Sta are not required to wear a Stay Stay apartapart Stay Safe face covering. Stay apart You must wear aNo face covering Entry when Stay Apart wmnetwork.co.uk/facecoverings bus before getting on Stay apart travelling on public transport Step Vinyl Find out how to make your own at HereStop Step vinyl Step Vinyl Stay Safe Stay Safe Stay Stay Stay

1000x90mm Bus station safety advice poster No Entry floor/window vinyl Stay Safeapart Stay Apartapart window/ Face covering vinyl Stay Safe Stay Apart bus floor 1000 x 90mm 1000x90mm wmnetwork.co.uk/facecoveringStop Here Try to keep one seat DoubleStay Royal, Safe A1, Stay A4, Apart A5 floor vinyl 300mm2 seat vinyl 300mm2 vinyl 300mm2 Please dispose of your face covering 2 2 empty next to you Stay apart 300mm for windows 300mm Printed onto self-adhesive material (A4, A5). responsibly 2 Stay Apart 150mm for seating Stay apart Updated 9 June with new face covering guidance Stay Safe Stay Safe Floor Vinyl Stay Stay apartapart 300mm2 Stay apart Bus seat sash Step Vinyl Example placement of seat sash Stop HereFace covering handout card Internal use only 1000x120mm 400x120mm wrap around 85 x 55mm Step vinyl Step Vinyl Social Distancing Guidance May 2020 1000 x 120mm 1000x120mm Produced on cardboard as a flat net. Seat Stop here floor vinyl Placement advice sashes can be attached to the rear of the seat 500 x 200mm with low-tac double-sided tapeStay apart Stay apart Stay apartStop HereStay apart Stay apart Stay apart Stay apart Stay apart Floor Vinyl Stop Here Floor Vinyl Stay apart Stay apart 2000x120mmStay apartSocial Distancing Guidance Stay apart May 2020 500x200mm

Stay Apart floor vinyl Social Distancing 2000 x 120mm April 2020 | CA Floor Vinyl Social Distancing 2000x120mm April 2020 | CA Social Distancing Guidance May 2020 Social DistancingSocial Distancing Guidance April 2020 | CA May 2020 WeWe areare facingfacing oneone ofof ourour greatestgreatest challengeschallenges withWeWewith areare COVID-19.COVID-19. facingfacing oneone ofof TheourourThe events events greatest greatestof of 2020 2020 have have impacted impacted ourchallenges ourchallenges citizens, citizens, especially especially the the elderly elderly Theandand most most Climate vulnerable vulnerable in in ourourEmergency region. region. We We have have seen seen the the biggest biggest impact impact on on 11 Responsethethe transport transport system system to since Covid-19since the the Second Second World World War War with with traffic traffic reducedreduced Thetowithwithto West levels levels Midlands not not seenseenCOVID-19.COVID-19. since sinceCombined the the 1950s 1950s Authority and and people people with advised advised the support not not to to use ofuse its public public membertransporttransport authorities (buses, (buses, trams has setand and a trains) trains)target for for for the the the first first West time.time. Midlands to be Our Human Intelligence team have undertaken three major public sentiment surveys to gather Mode of travel by journey purpose valuablecarbonTheThe feedbackevents eventsneutral of offrom by 2020 2020 our2041. customershave have impacted impacted to help understandour our citizens, citizens, how especially theyespecially feel, what the the they elderly elderly want to see goingandand “forward,“ Less Less most most traffic, traffic, how vulnerable vulnerable we can moremore help in in cycling.our tocycling.our make region. region. them We feelWe “safehave “AhaveA chance chanceand seen seen to understand to thetothe get get biggest biggest some some current impact impact and future on on 80 75 travelthethe patterns.I transportlovetransport hearing This informationsystem system birdsongs since since has directly the the Second Second shaped exercise,World ourWorld response War War on with towithquieter/safer Covid19 traffic traffic in so manyreduced reduced ways 70 ThereI loveis international hearing birdsongs consensus that weexercise, could on have quieter/safer just 10 years left 70 andto limit toacrossto &levels &levels quiet.extensivequiet. so manynot not Better Better seen teams.seen climate mental since mentalsince the the change. 1950s 1950s and Ourand roads.”people roads.”peoplelocal actions advised advised will not not helpto to use use the public public UK to 60 59 meettransporttransport healththehealth national for (buses, for(buses, me.” me.” target trams trams and toand be trains) trains) carbon for for the neutralthe first first by time.time. 2050 in line with the 60 48 Paris Agreement which seeks to limit global warming to well below 50 46 47 44 2ºC (ideally““ Less Less traffic, traffic, no more moremore than cycling.cycling. 1.5ºC). ““AA chance chance to to get get some some AlthoughAlthoughII love love hearing hearingthe the Covid-19 Covid-19 birdsongs birdsongs pandemic pandemic has has had hadexercise,exercise, a a tremendous tremendous on on quieter/safer quieter/safer negative negative effect effect 40 on many people, for some it has given them the opportunity to change 29 on &many& quiet. quiet. people, Better Better for mental mental some it has given themroads.”roads.” the opportunity to change 30 28 Short-term measures being rolled out in light of the Covid-19 recovery 25 willthethe helphealth healthway way to they they lockfor for me.” liveme.”live in their sometheir lives lives of in thein a a positive positivepositive way. way. behaviour More More people people changes are are walking walking being and and 23 cycling,cycling, working working from from home home and and spending spending time time in in their their local local communities communities 20 18 18 18 undertaken by citizens and limit the number of journeys being made 13 13 14 –– the the air air is is cleaner, cleaner, the the roads roads are are quieter quieter and and carbon carbon emissions emissions are are down. down. 12 10 7 7 by private car. 5 6 5 6 2 2 2 3 3 AlthoughAlthough the the Covid-19 Covid-19 pandemic pandemic has has had had a a tremendous tremendous negative negative effect effect 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 “ Less cars on the road makes “ Fewer larger shopping trips. 0 However,onon“ Lessmany many withcars people, people, onsocial the for for roadsome distancingsome makes it it has has givenreducinggiven them them“ Fewer publicthe the largeropportunity opportunity transport shopping to to capacity change change trips. Work Education Escorting child Shopping Visiting Leisure Total therethetheit it isway wayfeel feela danger theysafer theysafer live live to to that their cycle.theircycle. our lives lives recovery in in a a positive positive is a way. Walkedway.highWalked More More carbon and and people people cycled cycled one. are are Weto to walking walkingshops shops have and seenand to school cycling,II would would working cycle cycle more morefrom if homeif the the and spendingmoremore time due due in theirto to quiet quiet local streets.” streets.” communities Car /taxi Bus Local Rail Walk Cycle carcycling, use start working to climb from back home towards and spending pre-covid time in levels, their local so fast communities action and –– the theroadsroads air air is were iswere cleaner, cleaner, like like this.” the this.”the roads roads are are quieter quieter and and carbon carbon emissions emissions are are down. down. targeted interventions are needed to support our ambitions. Results taken from first lockdown survey.

Public““ Less Less feedback cars cars on on from the the road road our makesrecentmakes covid“ “recovery Fewer Fewer larger larger survey shopping shopping says: trips. trips. FollowingFollowingitit feel feel safer safer our our survey tosurvey to cycle. cycle. in in May May many many people peopleWalkedWalked have have told told and and us us cycled cycled that that they they to to shops shopswant want to to Current level of public transport use compared keepkeepII would would these these cycle cyclechanges changes more more if if possible ifpossible if the the and and we we are aremoremore already already due due investing to investingto quiet quiet streets.” streets.”in in a a range range of of measuresmeasuresroadsroads were wereto to support support like like this.” this.” walking, walking, cycling cycling and and safe safe social social distancing, distancing, ensuring ensuring to levels before lockdown thatthat the the network network is is available available for for those those who who need need it it most. most.

80 FollowingFollowing our our survey survey in in May May many many people people have have told told us us that that they they want want to to 74 keepkeep these these changes changes if if possible possible and and we we are are already already investing investing in in a a range range of of 70 measuresmeasures to to support support walking, walking, cycling cycling and and safe safe social social distancing, distancing, ensuring ensuring 81% 67% 60 thatthat the thewant network network cleaner is is available available air for for those those who whoprefer need need it it most. most. their new work 52 to continue life balance 50

40 35

30 prefer the reduced 23 traffic on our roads 20 18 7 10 5 1 7 5 % 0 All public transport Bus Rail Metro Before Current Results taken from first lockdown survey. Response to Covid-19 13

Bus, train and tram teams and operators July - September developed plans to support the increase in Stay Safe Stay Apart demand and manage social distancing, with Stay Safe Stay Apart daily calls and buses on standby in hot spot Travelling to School or Our Information team and Customer locations ready to react. College • There have been changes • Face coverings must Intelligence Team updated and put up over made to the way you now be worn by anyone use public transport over 11 years old, 2000 posters across key bus routes as the except those who Important Information • Buses, trains and trams are are exempt The Travel Choices team contacted running but capacity has network started its recovery. been reduced to support • Consider cycling or walking to key schools, colleges and universities. social distancing allow more space for those who have no other option or We embedded support officers in are travelling further The teams undertook the task of refreshing local authorities’ education teams. Our Back to School Travel roadside information on 9,807 posters and • Services may be busier so plan Communications team issued a public ahead and allow more time 1,345 flags. This represented the biggest for your journey campaign to inform and educate those update to information since the scheme across the network and produced an began in 2005. When travelling, be kind, be patient and stay safe. informative toolkit for all 1,500 schools to We are doing everything we can to keep you moving. push information and advice to parents and young people. We also produced this For updates and more information visit our Stay Safe dedicated web page: in six different languages to ensure our wmnetwork.co.uk/schooltravel Stay Apart information was accessible to all members We’re working hard to keep everyone safe. of the diverse communities we have across You must wear a face covering when travelling on the region. public transport

Keep space between yourself and others

Carry hand sanitiser and wash your hands before and after travelling

Allow others to get off the bus before getting on Get ready to travel back to school this September Pay for your ticket in advance or use contactless where possible اک کت لوکسا سپاو ںیمربمتس سا

Thank you for supporting our efforts. ںیہررایتےئلےکےنرکرفس .Enjoy your journey

ادا یگشیپ ےئلےک ٹکٹ ینپا نکیل ںیہ یہر لچزمارٹروا ںینیرٹ ،ںیسب یئوک اک یگیئادا ای ںیرک یگیئ ۔ےہ یئگ یدرک مک شئاجنُگ ںیم نُا ںیرک لامعتسا ہقیرط سیل ٹکیٹناک Once we had implemented government Stay Safe Stay Apart guidelines on the public transport سا ںیہ یتکسوہرت فورصمزسورس ںیرک یدنب ہبوصنم یگشیپےئل ںیھکر ہگج نایمردےک ںورسودرواےنپا network, our next challenge was getting Drop off Differently تقو ہدایزےئلےکرفسےنپاروا ںیلاکن .school children to school safely 100,000 this September

وک پآروا ںیہےکرمُع دئازےس لاس 11 پآرگا ?Planning to drive to school this September لکیئاسےئلےک ںولصافرصتخُم The Network Resilience team created a ینابرہمےئاربوتےہ ںیہن لصاح ءانثتسا ںیرکروغرپےنلچ لدیپ ایےناجرپ Consider parking or dropping off a few streets away ںینہپ کسامرپےرہچ Travel Demand Management programme from the school gates and walk the short distance. • Great form of exercise suitable for all ages which brought together various teams • Saves you being stuck in traffic • Keeps the roads safer around school ھتاس زرزئاٹینیسےئلےک ںوھتاہ across T f W M and our external partners ںیرک ششوکوت ںیہےہر الچ یڑاگرگا Reduces the chance of collisions or injuries • ںیمدعبرواےلہپےسےنرکرفسروا ںیھکر ںیدراتُارود ںایلگ دنچروا ںیلمرپ ںوھتاہےنپا ہو into the planning and operational stages of our response. We ensured our planning

تالومعمےک پآ۔ںیہر ظوفحمروا ںوہربصاب ،ںیل ماکےس یلدمحر تقوےترکرفس was data driven with the Data Insight ۔ںیہےتکسرک مہوج ںیہےہررک ھچُک بس ہو مہےکےنیدےنہرےتلچوک team identifying demand hotspots using historical road and bus data to help ںوہرایت ںاہیروا ںیرک یدنب ہبوصنم یگشیپ target schools nearby to work with and wmnetwork.co.uk/schooltravel For updates and more information on Back to School Travel, visit our dedicated web page: manage the impact on the public realm as Valid from August 2020 wmnetwork.co.uk/schooltravel businesses reopened at the same time. Response to Covid-19 15

As schools opened, daily monitoring through the R T C C to our partners and our staff Big Summer of Cycling & Walking allowed us to analyse how things were working and ensured we were reacting to developing issues which enabled us to implement solutions efficiently and effectively.

Just before the schools returned, the bus team lost one of its long-established West Midlands Bus Alliance has been operators, DeCourcy Travel in Coventry, who working hard to manage the national sadly went into administration. Supporting message through the pandemic back to Coventry City Council, the bus team Cycling and walking are more popular government and worked to ensure bus re-tendered the school contract within than ever, so keep going. operators can be supported through these days to ensure school buses were ready Roll & Stroll to work, school or just for times as a critical community service. for the start of term. fun. Any reason is a great reason and anyone can do it.

Find out more about our Big Summer With such a huge shift in travel behaviour of Cycling & Walking. Discover routes, Active travel is no longer just cycling and more local journeys being made, seizing safety tips and fantastic projects in your October - December area, plus much, much more. and walking, our Transport Innovation the opportunity to embed more active travel team created the e-scooter trial in just 3 solutions has been a huge priority for us and months. Uptake has been impressive with Throughout the second lockdown, we will help towards our greener future. the scooters totalling enough kilometres wmnetwork.co.uk/RollnStroll continued monitoring the network with to go twice around the world since being The Active Travel team has successfully operators and our Communications team introduced. This scheme has also been has kept people updated. We continued to delivered over 50 infrastructure schemes expanded to other areas now. costing £3.8m across the region with all monitor Christmas shopping, looking for seven local authorities getting more people increases in demand, and through the R T C C rolling and strolling over the summer. To were ready to respond should any social build on this, the West Midlands will benefit distancing or congestion issues develop. from a £13 million government active travel grant that will go towards the delivery of the The insight and analysis continued, 500 mile Starley Network. especially with the introduction of the tier system, working with data that the D f T analysed to help try to understand the change in the movement around the region.

Over the year, our operators have all created additional functionality on their websites that passengers can use to see the busiest times allowing them to make informed decisions on the times they choose to travel.

In response to the changing working patterns of commuters, Metro introduced a three-day and four-day season ticket which were fulfilled through the My Metro app to improve choice for customer. Delivering our priorities 17

Despite Covid-19 shifting and changing things, we have still managed to complete West Midlands Rail West Midlands Metro and and achieve so much this year. Executive Midland Metro Allience

Intergrated Services Team We received approval and the powers needed to deliver the Eastside Extension through to . have kept buses moving through major works and navigated various Works on to Metro enhancements of bus services across the extension commenced. Utility works have network. begun and various old bridges have been demolished. We continued to push forward the delivery of The Bus Infrastructure team has generated Perry Barr rail station and outlined planning best practice relationships with local Major construction work took place along permission for the bus interchange. authority partners to navigate the needs Broad Street as part of the Westside of bus operators, town centre managers, Extension by seizing the opportunity to University Station business case was pedestrians and many other stakeholders. advance works whilst everyone was in completed and approved by Department for The completion of the Longbridge Park lockdown. In June a total area of 220m of Transport (D f T) and construction is due to & Ride site will provide a huge boost in concrete was poured along Broad Street, begin shortly. capacity in the area. all in one go, which was a significant engineering feat and took 14 hours to The wider West Midlands rail programme West Midlands Bus Alliance has sought complete. has moved forward by building relationships ways to continue to tackle climate change with the D f T and partners, which is crucial to and improve air quality in our region and West Midlands Metro has been working on securing funding, pushing regional devolution has launched the first large scale electric a proof of concept project led by W M 5 G, and embedding Grand Rail Collaboration bus rollout in and Coventry to deliver the first 5 G tram in the U K which across the industry. with West Midlands. They went into service in September. continue to lobby government for devolved Collaboratively with the rail industry, the team funding to continue to support services has developed an initial view of timetable and get the Alliance firmly recognised as possibilities for the Commonwealth Games national best practice. and developed a rail service timetable for the new Camp Hill stations. Customer Service and Ticketing teams introduced Net Promoter Score in West Midlands Stations Alliance governance July which is an industry standard for has been improved to provide better outputs measuring customer satisfaction. The for passengers and communities and excellent team’s score is ‘Great’ which I think you will progress is being made on Stations as Places. agree is an incredible start to measuring Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership how our customers rated the service they accreditation has been secured and will bring received from T f W M. exciting new things to the area.

The Rail team are the proud owner of two new C A F built Class 196 trains for West Midlands Railway services. 80 trains are being built in Spain and Newport and will start entering service very soon. Delivering our priorities 19

Network Resilience and the Regional Transport Control Centre Policy, Strategy and Innovation

continued their partnership work with has worked with partners through our 80 percent of Swift users remain either H S 2 and Highways England around the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ following this Interchange Station site in and at projects, to secure a major upgrade to year’s satisfaction survey with more and Curzon Street in the sensor network across the Key Route more people moving into the ‘very satisfied’ with integrated travel demand management, Network, using A N P R, and cutting edge category. mitigations and communications campaigns. 5G sensors. Alongside supporting the upgrade of junction A fully functional Swift vending machine 10 of the M 6 in and the £1 billion The Data Insight team has continued is now in place in the arrivals area at regeneration of town centre. to deliver critical services to our local , so international visitors highway authorities. can purchase their public transport ticket on As part of the R T C C’s vision to improve Swift before they have even left the airport. information on disruptions, an S M S trial went Our Transport Innovation team has forged live at the beginning of November as well as a ahead with the U K’s pathfinder Future new disruptions area being launched on West Transport Zone, designing and creating Midlands Network website, with thanks to innovative bus services, mobility credit the Website Improvement team. schemes, and improved back office functions which are now ready to go live in The Safer Travel Police team and C C T V the new year. They have delivered a step control centre have continued keeping our change in our Electric Vehicle re-fuelling network safe with the great work they do strategy and have been able to continue every day supporting partners and the police. various international projects.

The Key Route Network team has been The Human Intelligence Team has created supporting local authorities with the K R N a new powerful public engagement tool Action plans and highway investment set, working with partners to have a level schemes including the installation of 31 new of understanding of every household cameras across . They are also across the region and develop an improving Road Safety, setting up a strategic on-line citizens community for deeper partnership, chaired by an independent road conversations. safety charity to hold us and local authorities to account as we aim to reduce killed or Swift launched ‘SwiftGo’ which has been seriously injured people by 40 percent. rolled out on buses and trams, which is the first multimodal best value cap anywhere in the UK outside of London. Regenerating Dudley

£1 billion planned total investment 9 projects

One goal to improve Dudley borough

city � �

Regeneration Improved environment for civic life, New Leisure of Dudley shopping and education Centre �

Wednesbury to Brierley New integrated Improved journeys Very & Hill Metro extension, bus and Metro and journey time National Innovation connecting Dudley to interchange reliability Centre the wider region

� � � �

Autonomous and Black Country Portersfield Vehicle Initiative Marches Institute Living Museum development of Technology Improvements More info at regeneratingdudley.org.uk

Plan ahead: wmnetwork.co.uk/dudley Delivering our priorities 21

Awards and recognition trophy-alt

Our project to deliver Bradley The P A team and Kili Lane’s Park & Ride being shortlisted Thomas won at the West stars Anne Shaw was announced as the winner of the award in two categories at the Brownfield stars Midlands P A Awards. for Leader in the Customer & Passenger category at Awards and winning one. the Everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards. With Laura Shoaf shortlisted in the final for the Outstanding stars Contribution to Transport and Logistics Award.

M M L won awards at the The M M A won for their Light International Light Rail stars Rail Construction apprenticeship awards for the work they are scheme at the annual Institute of stars doing to keep the trams clean Chartered Engineers awards. and safe for passengers. Their work on the R T C C’s real time dashboard was shortlisted by the Geography in Government (G i G) Awards in the category of excellence. stars

The Data Insight Team received a Special Achievement Award at stars the E S R I Global User conference.

Both the R T C C and the Travel Demand Team were highly commended for projects at the C I H T Awards. stars stars The year ahead 23

A greener cleaner transport network

Transport for West Midlands journey We will continue to develop and deliver new to better connect the West Midlands is public transport infrastructure such as the one that never ends, and 2021 will see West Midland Metro extensions, providing us continue our mission to develop and reliable and cleaner alternatives to the car. manage an integrated transport system We will be building new rail stations and for the West Midlands that is reliable, upgrading others to add capacity while affordable and accessible for all. introducing new trains to improve people’s journeys. We will be giving bus services Rebuilding our transport system, following priority on our roads, so they can avoid the Covid-19 pandemic, is essential for our congestion and provide reliable journeys customers, businesses and the regional passengers expect. economic recovery. Working with our partners at H S 2, However, we cannot miss the opportunity, Highways England and Network Rail, we following millions of people changing their will support their delivery of other road, travel behaviour and being active locally, to rail and high-speed projects improving reduce congestion and improve air quality the desirability of the West Midlands to in the longer term, which is why we will businesses and creating employment be putting cycling at the heart of a green opportunities for future generations. While recovery, and, with our local authority these works take place, we will be there to partners, we will be improving the 500mile support our residents through the short- Starley Network and introducing the West term disruption to their journeys. Midlands Bike Share Scheme. Our passengers and their needs will be Transport has a huge role to play in central to everything we do and underpin tackling the climate emergency too, and our decision making. We will keep them this is why we will be refreshing our long- safe, provide world class transport facilities term strategic plan so we can continue to and continue to work with transport not only support inclusive growth through operators to improve their journeys. better connectivity, but do so in a way Through improved data management that’s sustainable for our planet. and technology, we will develop smarter systems that provide simple information and Underpinning a greener transport system ticketing solutions that connect our citizens will be the use of smarter data solutions to jobs, education and housing ensuring the and we will continue leading the UK on West Midlands is one of the best-connected transport innovation and walk with our regions in the UK. residents through a revolution in mobility. The year ahead 25

Key Milestones

The launch of the Construction of new West Midlands Opening of Network Travel Planner University train station City and Swift Pay App, Centre Metro extension and work to refresh which will replace the in September 2021 Perry Barr train station various travel apps we will begin have to create a single mobile solution Rollout of the £24m cross city bus The first two Sprint Work begins connecting service between the routes will move into 50 and 82/87 routes Birmingham’s Eastside to construction on the A45 the tram network connecting south and the A34 Birmingham with North Birmingham - Opening of the We will be moving Sandwell forward with plans The ‘Swiftification’ of the section rail network, we should to reopen the Camp of Westside Metro see the rollout of Swift extension in December Hill line and the train platform validators and 2021 stations at ticket vending machines and Our Swift team will We will be delivering be cementing and a UK first to make Coventry an all electric bus city which Major works will begin promoting Swift Go is a £50m investment coming between Wednesbury on bus and tram which through the W M C A for and Brierley Hill will make it easier than T f W M to deliver a national ever to access public pilot scheme in 2021 Works will begin at transport Dudley Interchange and deliver a multi modal transport interchange that Black Country residents will be proud of The year ahead 27

Key Milestones

Finally, the West Midlands Strategic Transport Plan “Movement for Growth” will be reviewed and Finalising the 2022 Delivery of the replaced with a new Local Transport Plan in 2021. Games Transport Plan to schemes set out in the support 12,500 athletes We have brought the review of the plan forward £13m funding from and 1.2 million spectators from 2026 to adapt to the changing needs of our Government to support move alongside the 4 residents’ post Covid-19. Transport has a huge role the increased demand million residents and in cycling We will be keeping commuters in the region to play in tackling the climate emergency and meet people moving the needs of our own W M C A 2041 Action Plan, and through travel demand management alongside our we want to ensure our long term strategic focus partners at H S 2, Highways England, Network Rail, can balance our aspirations with the needs of our Midland Metro Alliance residents and continues to enable inclusive growth and local authorities to improve our roads, rail and The transport through better connectivity. Metro service innovation programme Launch of the cycle will conclude one of hire scheme which will the most ambitious revolutionise people’s connected and access to cycling; autonomous vehicle programmes in the The Regional Transport country Coordination Centre will continue supporting people’s journeys and working with our operators on major Our Transport disruptions Planning team will be prepare for a business case for a slice of over £4bn of transport investment which the Government has committed from 2022 onwards.