West Midlands leaders have called for a comprehensive investigation into why many residents continue to avoid using bus services, despite frequent routes operating across the region. The appeal comes amid concerns that simply increasing services will not boost passenger numbers.
Solihull councillor Andrew Burrow, chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Overview and Scrutiny Committee, warned that people remain reluctant to leave their cars in certain areas. He said this trend persists even where public transport options are regular and reliable.
Cllr Burrow raised the issue during a recent scrutiny committee meeting, stressing the need for targeted research. He said new housing developments planned for green belt land will generate substantial Section 106 funding, which could be used to expand bus services.
However, he cautioned that additional investment will not automatically lead to increased patronage. He said the Combined Authority must first understand the underlying reasons behind low bus usage.
“The recommendation was the Combined Authority does some proper research into why it is people don’t use the buses, when they do exist and do run regularly, but they continue to use their cars,” he said. “We need to work out why people don’t actually use the buses, rather than just assume if we put more buses on the people will come.”
Bus services make up around 80% of public transport journeys in the region, carrying an estimated 245 million passengers each year. But in many local areas, residents continue to favour private vehicles for daily travel.
Cllr Burrow said the future expansion of housing developments could bring significant opportunities to enhance the bus network. Yet he stressed that misjudging how those funds are allocated could lead to long-term inefficiencies.
“A lot of that housing will come up with Section 106 payments towards enhancing the bus network,” he said. “But we need to understand the real reasons. Is it information systems? Is it they don’t connect properly? Getting hold of people who don’t use buses is not going to be easy, but we’ve got one chance to get this right.”
West Midlands mayor Richard Parker responded by committing to further discussions with councillors. He said WMCA officers would examine the committee’s recommendations and consider the best approach to increase bus patronage, particularly in rural parts of the region.
“I’ll get the team at the Combined Authority to talk to Mr Burrow further about his recommendations and how we can improve bus patronage in more of our rural areas,” Mr Parker said.
Transport campaigners have long argued that reliability, safety, and ease of connection remain key to boosting public transport usage. Some commuters cite inconsistent timetables, limited evening services, or poor communication of route changes as barriers to using buses more frequently.
Industry experts note that understanding the mindset of non-users is essential. Surveys commonly attract existing passengers, leaving gaps in data about those who purposely avoid public transport. Reaching these residents, Cllr Burrow said, will be one of the biggest challenges.
With major development projects underway and transport funding tied to Section 106 agreements, WMCA leaders fear that without targeted insights, improvements may fall short of expectations. The upcoming research aims to shape a long-term strategy to create a bus network that better aligns with public needs.
As the Combined Authority begins initial planning, both councillors and transport officials agree: meaningful change will depend on listening to the people who currently choose not to ride the bus.
