Mayor acts to protect West Midlands bus services as WMCA Board approves acquisition deal

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, has acted to protect passengers and keep buses running after WMCA Board approved the acquisition of National Express’s West Midlands bus operations.

The deal follows Mobico Group, parent company of National Express, confirming its intention to derisk its bus operations as the West Midlands region continues its move towards bus franchising. This will mean greater control over routes, timetables, fares and service standards creating a more reliable, joined up and accountable bus network for local communities.

National Express is the largest bus operator in the region, accounting for around 94% of bus journeys in the West Midlands. Its regional operation includes around 4,800 staff, 1,300 buses and nine depots.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, has acted to protect passengers and keep buses running

Mobico’s decision posed a significant risk to the biggest part of the region’s public transport network. Buses account for around 80% of all public transport journeys in the West Midlands, carrying around 4.6 million trips each week.

Given the scale of National Express’s operation and the importance of buses to the region, WMCA Board has approved a managed acquisition to protect passengers, staff, services, depots, fleet and the wider bus network.

Services, tickets and timetables will continue as normal during the legal and operational handover. Passengers do not need to do anything differently, the WMCA expects services to continue as normal once the handover is complete.

WMCA expects the acquisition to complete in the autumn, subject to final due diligence checks. West Midlands Bus Limited, the company established to hold the bus operations, will then operate as an arm’s length subsidiary of WMCA, with its own governance and operational management. This means day-to-day bus operations will not be brought directly into the authority while services continue and the region moves towards franchising.

WMCA will work with West Midlands Bus Limited, staff, trade unions, local authorities and partners to keep the network stable and minimise disruption for passengers.

The financial package will be funded mainly by WMCA through existing transport investment plans, with £11.5m of Government support for transaction-related costs. Pension arrangements for staff are unaffected by the transaction, and the package has been designed to protect services, maintain network stability and support the transition to franchising.

The Mayor has reaffirmed a commitment to bus franchising as the best long-term model for the region’s bus services. The WMCA Board endorsed this decision by the Mayor to franchise the bus network in May 2025 and that decision remains unchanged.

On Monday 17 August, WMCA issued the Invitation to Tender for the first tranche of the West Midlands Bus Franchising programme, marking the start of the formal procurement phase. Franchising will give WMCA greater control over routes, fares, standards and service levels, with operators running services under contract. Contracts will be awarded in the West Midlands from 2027 onwards.

In the meantime, West Midlands Bus Limited will operate during the transition to maintain continuity and stability while the new model is put in place. It will not bid for franchised routes and will support transition to the new franchised system.

Further updates will be provided to passengers, staff and stakeholders as the acquisition progresses.