The Department for Transport has published its plan to decarbonise the entire transport system in the UK: Decarbonising Transport: A Better, Greener Britain. Some of the key information referring to the Midlands is as follows:
- In March 2021, the Government announced that Coventry had been selected as the winner of the All-Electric Bus Town or City Scheme. The West Midlands Combined Authority has been awarded £50 million to replace the entire local operator bus fleet in Coventry with electric buses. This funding will support the introduction of up to 300 electric buses and the charging infrastructure needed to support them
- The Transport for West Midlands £20 million Future Transport Zone is testing a range of innovative mobility services in real-life environments at scale. As part of the trials, the ‘West Midlands Bus on Demand’ service began operation in April. Through this service, consumers can book a ride in the West Midlands On Demand app by inserting a pick-up and drop-off location. Consumers are then matched with other passengers heading in the same direction. It is operating in the surrounding areas of the University of Warwick, including Kenilworth, Warwick Parkway, Leamington Spa and the Wellesbourne campus, and is aimed as those who commute to the University Campus but are not near to a bus stop.
- Investment in the development of the UK’s electric vehicle supply chain could create 40,000 extra jobs across the country by 2030, including in our Midlands and North East England manufacturing heartlands
- Coventry City and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Councils are collaborating to help establish the West Midlands as a world-class business investment location by developing Very Light Rail (VLR) technology in the UK
