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National Express West Midlands
BYD Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV in Birmingham city centre in July 2020
ParentMobico Group
FoundedAugust 1986; 37 years ago (1986-08)
HeadquartersBirmingham
Service areaWest Midlands
Service typeBus services
AllianceNational Express Coventry
Depots8
Fleet1,600+
Chief executiveTom Stables
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

National Express West Midlands(NXWM) is bus operator in the West Midlands of England. It is a subsidiary of Mobico Group (formerly National Express Group) and is the largest bus operator in the region, as well as one of the single largest in Britain.

NXWM operates services in Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Solihull, as well as express services from Birmingham to areas such as Cofton Hackett, Bromsgrove, and formerly to the city of Coventry (now operated by National Express Coventry).

History[edit]

Former logos
Logo from 1986–1996
Logo from 1996–2008
Logo from 2008–2015
West Midlands Travel MCW Metrobus in Birmingham in April 1993

In August 1986, prior to the deregulation of bus services, West Midlands Travel (WMT) was formed out the bus operations of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive.[1] The PTE ceased to be a bus operator as a result of the Transport Act 1985, but both the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority and successor organisation Transport for West Midlands retain a co-ordinating role, tendering bus services and funding concessionary fares and infrastructure such as bus stations.[2]

West Midlands Travel faced its first major deregulation challenge in March 1987 when London Regional Transport (LRT) pulled out of its 'London Liner' London to Birmingham express coach service. Operated jointly by both LRT's London Coaches subisidary and WMT's Central Coachways subisidary using a fleet of MCW Metroliner coaches,[3] following London Coaches' withdrawl, Central Coachways would continue to run the service as its sole operator from the end of March.[4]

The company invested in a heavy rebranding campaign in 1988 that saw the introduction of a new silver, blue and red livery to the bus fleet, new uniforms, and the purchase of 150 new MCW Metrobus double-decker buses.[5] After 18 months of deregulation, WMT announced in October 1988 that it had made a profit of over £217 million (equivalent to £736,983,000 in 2023), retained 97% of its pre-deregulation bus network and had recorded a 5% drop in passengers compared to before deregulation;[6] the latter, however, would increase to a drop of 10% by 1989, resulting in fare rises and cutbacks in its bus network.[7]

Despite pressure from the central government, including both a threat to be split under Section 61 of the Transport Act 1985 to force its sale and government funding for the Midland Metro tram project being lost if the company was not sold, West Midlands Travel remained in public ownership under the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority.[8][9] Plans for a management buyout through an Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) were first submitted to the WMPTA in June 1989 by WMT's management and employees in response to the splitting threat,[10] which were approved by the PTA and submitted to Minister of State for Transport Michael Portillo in early 1990;[11] despite a competing bid by Stagecoach Group owner Brian Souter to buy WMT for £85 million (equivalent to £230,493,000 in 2023), the ESOP would finally be approved in December 1991, with WMT sold to its management and employees for £70 million (equivalent to £189,818,000 in 2023).[12]

Two Travel West Midlands buses at Wolverhampton bus station in 2008

In March 1995, National Express purchased West Midlands Travel from employee ownership for £85 million (equivalent to £592,467,000 in 2023), with over 5,000 employee shareholders of WMT receiving windfall gains averaging £30,000 (equivalent to £73,000 in 2023).[12][13] Operations would be subsequently merged into the National Express Group the following April.[14] In September 1996, WMT was rebranded to Travel West Midlands. In November 2002 the Coventry services were rebranded Travel Coventry.[15] Two subisidaries previously acquired by WMT, Travel Your Bus and Travel Merry Hill, were later merged into the main West Midlands fleet.

In February 2008 as part of a rebranding of all National Express subsidiaries, it was renamed National Express West Midlands, with the adopted red and white livery being the sixth livery to be used by the company.[16][17][18] The Coventry service was also rebranded as National Express Coventry.[19]

National Express West Midlands aimed for their whole fleet to be low floor by March 2010,[20] achieved in July of that year with the withdrawal of the final MCW Metrobuses in operation at Acocks Green garage.[21]

In February 2020, National Express announced its intention to operate a completely zero-emission bus fleet by 2030, pledging it would not buy another diesel-powered bus and only purchase zero-emissions vehicles for its West Midlands, Coventry and Dundee operations from 2020 onwards.[22] The company's first nine Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV battery electric buses began operation on 5 July 2020,[23] with 20 hydrogen fuel cell-powered Wright StreetDeck Hydroliner buses following in late 2021.[24][25]

Further hydrogen-powered buses are set to enter the fleet following funding from the Department for Transport.[26][27] A total of 124 hydrogen buses are due to enter service by 2024, which will give Birmingham the largest hydrogen bus fleet in Europe.[28][needs update]

Services[edit]

Platinum[edit]

Platinum-branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC on service X3 in July 2020

In 2015, National Express West Midlands launched the Platinum brand. The Platinum range of buses is a premium brand which offers passengers extra legroom, high backed seats, next stop announcements (on supported services), free Wi-Fi and USB charging on a select series of routes in the West Midlands. The Platinum brand uses Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs, Alexander Dennis Enviro400EVs and Wright StreetDeck Hydroliners, which are usually painted in a grey and red colour scheme. However, they may come in different color schemes for select services such as the 8/X8, 9, 16, 50 and 82/87. Drivers will wear a grey and red suit to match, but there are no suits to match colored liveries.[29][30]

Deliveries of the first Platinum buses began in 2015, with 58 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs from a larger order of 171 buses delivered with Platinum branding. These were initially deployed on services 900 and 957, since renumbered X1 and X2,[29][30][31] before being rolled out onto services 934, 935, 936, 997 and X51 later in the year. The Platinum brand would be extended out into the Black Country in 2016 with the delivery of a further 96 Platinum Enviro400 MMCs resulting in Platinum buses being cascaded from Birmingham Central garage to Pensnett for the Merry Hill to Birmingham X10 service,[32][33] and then would expand to Harborne in December 2017 with the delivery of 38 new buses.[34] The Platinum brand would further expand again in 2018 with the delivery of 72 more Enviro400 MMCs, some of which would be delivered to National Express Coventry for the city's first Platinum services, and the West Midlands buses operating on routes connecting Stourbridge, Druids Heath and Chelmsley Wood with central Birmingham.[35][36]

National Express West Midlands' first zero-emissions Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV buses were built to Platinum specification, and entered service in July 2020 on route 6 from Birmingham to Solihull via Shirley.[23] The fuel cell electric Wright StreetDeck Hydroliner FCEVs that followed entered service on route 51 from Birmingham to Walsall via Perry Barr.[24][25]

Sprint[edit]

Main article: Sprint (West Midlands)

The Sprint cross-city bus rapid transit service was first announced in July 2014, initially taking the form of a single service linking Birmingham city centre and Quinton via Hagley Road, connecting with the Metro's Line One extension as 'Metro's Little Sister'.[37]

Following the awarding of the 2022 Commonwealth Games to Birmingham in 2016, it was announced that the Sprint network would expand with theee cross-city bus routes linking Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Walsall with Birmingham City Centre. These services are to be operated by National Express West Midlands;[38] it was originally envisaged that this route would be operated by 24 Van Hool ExquiCity articulated buses in time for the Commonwealth Games, however it was later announced in 2019 that construction of infrastructure related to the Sprint articulated buses would be delayed until after the Commonwealth Games.[39]

Phase 1 of the Sprint network was completed in May 2022, with bus lanes and priority junctions being introduced on commuter corridors on the A34 and A45 roads.[40]

Network reviews[edit]

At the end of April 2008, NXWM in conjunction with Centro, Dudley Council and other operators, re-routed, re-timed, and renumbered buses in the Dudley, Halesowen and Stourbridge areas.

Following this, a similar process took place in Solihull in January 2009, with one also taking place in October 2009 for South West Birmingham.

In April 2010 a network review for Walsall North (Bloxwich, Brownhills & Aldridge) took place, with another taking place at the end of July 2010 for West Birmingham.

The first review of 2011 was in March for services in East Birmingham/North Solihull,[41] followed by a review of services in Wolverhampton and West Walsall in July 2011.[42]

In October 2012 there was a network review in Sandwell, with the final review taking place in June 2013 for North Birmingham, although this was heavily criticised for the small number of routes that were actually changed and those that were being mostly in the Pheasey area.

A network review for areas around West Birmingham, West Bromwich, Oldbury and Blackheath was sought by passenger views in 2017. These changed in April 2017.[43]

In 2016, a bus service review for east Birmingham, North Solihull and Chelmsley Wood was made by allowing passengers to give their views on the routes. The services were changed in June 2017.[44]

At the end of 2017, a network review took place for South Birmingham. The public were asked for their opinions on the changes. As of February 2018, the answers received were currently being looked at by the company.[45] As of 22 July 2018 the network had been changed providing a much simpler network, more express buses and more direct links to the Queen Elizabeth hospital and The University of Birmingham.[46]

A review of services in Dudley and Sandwell was launched in early 2019 with a planned introduction date of April 2019.[47] However due to mostly negative feedback, changes were delayed until later in the year. The changes resulted in numerous route number changes with new routes such as service 8 from Wolverhampton to Wollaston Farm via Dudley and Stourbridge.[48][49]

Fleet and depots[edit]

Former Perry Barr garage, which closed in December 2022

As of June 2024, National Express West Midlands operates a fleet of over 1,600 buses and coaches from eight garages in Acocks Green, Birmingham Central (Digbeth), Perry Barr, Yardley Wood, Pensnett, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. Perry Barr is the newest location, having opened in December 2022. The site, housing infrastructure for charging a fleet of electric buses and a bus driving simulator as well as featuring 150 solar panels, environmentally-friendly heating systems and water recycling for the three bus washes on site, replaces the 90-year-old original Perry Bar garage, which was deemed unsuitable for modernisation and housing charging infrastructure.[50]

Prior to the construction of the new Perry Barr garage, Bordesley Green garage was the newest location, having opened in 2005. Bordesley Green was also the head office for National Express West Midlands, which replaced the original WMPTE offices in Summer Row, Birmingham. Following the closure of Bordesley Green garage, the head office has relocated to National Express Group head offices in Digbeth.

Previously garages in Stourbridge, Dudley, Merry Hill (part of Travel Merry Hill), Harts Hill, Sutton Coldfield, Hockley, Cotteridge, Selly Oak, Wolverhampton (Cleveland Road), Washwood Heath and Quinton have been operated. The Dudley garage closed on 28 August 1993 to make way for the Dudley Southern By-Pass (which opened in 1999) and was replaced, along with the former Travel Merry Hill depot, by a depot at Pensnett. In July 2010, Lea Hall depot closed. Bordesley Green garage closed in 2022 following the sale of the land in and around the depot for redevelopment.

Travel shops[edit]

NXWM previously operated five travel shops located in Dudley, Coventry Pool Meadow bus station, West Bromwich bus station, Birmingham, Corporation Street and Walsall bus station. All offices sold all types of Travelcards, National Express coach tickets and assist customers with information and route planning.[51] The travel shop at Wolverhampton bus station was unique in that it was the only travelshop within a bus station not operated by NXWM, instead being operated by Transport for West Midlands (previously Centro then Network West Midlands), a division of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

In October 2021, National Express West Midlands announced that they were closing all of their travel shops; this was apparently due to people preferring to buy their tickets online and fewer people visiting their shops.[52] The travel shop in Wolverhampton closed permanently on 1 April 2023.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Three directors for West Midlands". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 16 August 1986. p. 19. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  2. ^ "PTE tenders shared". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 13 September 1986. p. 18. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Liner is lost". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 14 March 1987. p. 21. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  4. ^ "WMT take over London Liner". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 28 March 1987. p. 20. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  5. ^ "WMT image boost". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 18 August 1988. p. 12. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  6. ^ "WMT profits after deregulation". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 6 October 1988. p. 12. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Dereg turns off WM passengers". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 25 May 1989. p. 24. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  8. ^ "PTAs united in division". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 4 May 1989. p. 20. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Now Michael Portillo calls time for WMT". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 21 December 1989. p. 16. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  10. ^ "WMT goes for ESOP". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 8 June 1989. p. 19. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  11. ^ "WMT follows ESOP trail". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 8 February 1990. p. 28. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  12. ^ a b Murray, John (5 February 1995). "National Express joins race for West Midlands Travel". The Independent. London. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  13. ^ Murray, John (28 March 1995). "National Express pays£244m for Midlands bus company". The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  14. ^ "WMT staff accept National Express offer". Bus & Coach Buyer. No. 302. Spalding. 14 April 1995. p. 5. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Our history: UK Bus". National Express Group. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  16. ^ "TWM buses in name change". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  17. ^ Ganguly, Rhona (5 February 2008). "Historic new name for Travel West Midlands". Birmingham Post. p. 6. ProQuest 324364371.
  18. ^ "New brand, new name, new era" (Press release). National Express Group. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  19. ^ Jameson, Angela (12 November 2007). "Army of franchises gets new uniform". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  20. ^ "£69 million Bus & Coach Order" (Press release). Travel West Midlands. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  21. ^ "Metrobus farewell". National Express Buses. Archived from the original on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  22. ^ Deakin, Tim (4 March 2020). "National Express commits to zero-emission fleets". routeone. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Enviro400EV battery-electrics enter services with NXWM". routeone. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  24. ^ a b Hampel, Carrie (6 October 2020). "20 fuel cell buses by Wrightbus for Birmingham". electrive. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  25. ^ a b Cooper, Anna (16 December 2021). "All aboard the hydrogen bus". TheBusinessDesk. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  26. ^ "West Midlands to run 'largest hydrogen bus fleet' due to new funding". BBC News. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  27. ^ O'Brien, Lisa (28 March 2022). "West Midlands to launch UK's largest hydrogen bus fleet after securing £30m Government funding". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  28. ^ "West Midlands to launch UK's largest hydrogen bus fleet after securing £30m Government funding" (Press release). West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  29. ^ a b "171 new buses for National Express West Midlands". Bus & Coach Buyer. Peterborough. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  30. ^ a b Buckley, Jemma (30 November 2014). "New 'platinum' West Midlands buses promise suit-wearing drivers". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  31. ^ "NEWM Platinum: The Platinum partners". routeone. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  32. ^ "65 extra Platinums for NXWM". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  33. ^ Jones, Stuart (12 December 2014). "Platinum in the Black Country". Bus & Coach Buyer. Peterborough. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  34. ^ Luke (4 December 2017). "National Express West Midlands spends £10M on platinum buses for routes through Harborne". Birmingham Updates. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  35. ^ Stu (24 November 2018). "More Platinum buses coming in December". West Midlands Bus Users. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  36. ^ "Students celebrate National Express Coventry going Platinum". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  37. ^ Inskip, Geoff (8 August 2015). "'Sprint' rapid transit system on its way to Birmingham". Intelligent Transport. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  38. ^ "NatEx to operate Sprint rapid transit bendybuses". Buses. No. 792. Stamford: Key Publishing. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  39. ^ "Delayed start for Sutton Coldfield Sprint". Buses. No. 770. Stamford: Key Publishing. 18 April 2019. p. 8. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  40. ^ "Birmingham buses quicker with Sprint priority measures". Coach & Bus Week. Peterborough. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  41. ^ "East Birmingham and North Solihull Bus Review". Network West Midlands. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  42. ^ "Wolverhampton and West Walsall Bus Review". Network West Midlands. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  43. ^ "Service Changes". National Express West Midlands.
  44. ^ "East Birmingham & Solihull Service Changes from Sunday 4 June 2017". National Express West Midlands. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  45. ^ "Consultation on route changes in south Birmingham". National Express West Midlands.
  46. ^ "South Birmingham Service Changes". National Express West Midlands.
  47. ^ "Bus services across Dudley in line for shake up". Stourbridge News. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  48. ^ "Bus routes between Dudley and Stourbridge in line for a shake up". Dudley News. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  49. ^ "West Dudley and South Wolverhampton service changes from 26th January 2020". West Midlands Bus Users. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  50. ^ "NXWM moves to new electric-ready Perry Barr depot". routeone. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  51. ^ "NXWM Travelcard & Information Shops". National Express West Midlands. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  52. ^ Nathan Rowe (18 October 2021). "National Express travel shops to close by end of October". Express and Star. Wolverhampton. Retrieved 9 November 2022.

External links[edit]

Media related to National Express West Midlands at Wikimedia Commons

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