www.birmingham-city-escorts.co.uk

New £25 million bus network for Birmingham

National Express and Centro have announced a combined £25 million investment into Birmingham's bus network. This investment will also benefit many Birmingham escorts who have shown an interest in using the new Smartcard which is scheduled to be introduced sooner as part of the plan.

Among the benefits of this cash injection are up to 300 new vehicles, additional information screens at bus stops and stations, and an altogether tidier and more welcoming Birmingham bus service. Also, embracing new technology, National Express and Centro hope to develop Internet and mobile phone applications which will allow commuters to check the progress of various services as they move around the network.

The Smartcard introduction in particular has been long-awaited and is an idea which has been put back many times. Intended to speed up Birmingham's bus network much like London's Oystercard, this new card was recently trialled with concessionary passengers, without much success. Many software problems came to light meaning it could not be rolled out to the general public.

This new partnership will be welcome news to the many regular bus users in Birmingham who have become tired of late buses and untidy stops and stations. Despite the announcement of this new investment, the partnership between National Express and Centro actually began two years ago with a view to improving the overall travel experience for Birmingham residents.

Among the changes already put in place are alterations to the routes and timetables designed to reflect the opinions and needs of everyday bus users. Although the public in Birmingham have welcomed these changes, it is clear much more needs to be done, and this £25 million investment will hopefully go a long way to achieving that.

Whatever the outcome, such a large partnership and investment must surely be a positive step when it comes to improving Birmingham's bus service.