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- Financing/Pricing data
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Birmingham
Financing/Pricing data
Funding and Expenditure(2006/2009) : £ million
The revenue and capital budgets allow for the implementation of the Authorities current key policies. Revenue Budget: The Authorities revenue budget is mainly funded from the levy (72%), which comes from each of the seven Metropolitan District Councils in the West Midlands. The levy is collected through Council Tax from residents of the West Midlands. The balance of revenue is received from the Government, to support Centro sponsored rail services and other minor grants.
Capital Budget: Capital expenditure is investment
designed to improve public transport facilities and to
be of lasting value. Capital spending is financed by
grants direct from the Government, and from capital
receipts generated from selling capital assets.
Supply/Demand Data 2006
| UNIT | BUS | TRAMWAY | HEAVY RAIL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUPPLY | ||||
| Network length | km | 7.524 | 20 | 186 |
| Nb of stations / stops | units | 12.500 | 23 | 71 |
| Nb of vehicles | units | 2.200 | 16 | 112 |
| DEMAND | ||||
| Trips per year | millions | 310,4 | 4,9 | 32,8 |
| valeur | valeur | valeur | valeur | valeur |
Fares 2006
With one of the most comprehensive rail and bus networks in the country there is a comprehensive range of tickets and passes available. Including; nnetwork ticket is a weekly, 4 weekly, 13 week or annual zonal season ticket offering savings to passengers who use both buses and trains. nnetwork card allows unlimited travel on virtually all buses in the NWM area, Midland Metro and all trains in specified zones. nbus and nrail tickets enable cost effective travel on either bus and rail and can be purchased over a number of periods.
There are also the senior citizen and blind and disabled passes available.
For the full range of tickets and passes and current costs visit www.networkwestmidlands.com and click on tickets.
Example of Bus Fare Costs 2007
| 2007 | Single trip center | Multiple trips | Monthly pass | Annual pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash fare and bus | £1.00 to £1.40 | £5.80 | £50.50 | £525.00 |
| tickets | based on main bus operator cash fare | based on one day, all day, nbus ticket | based on 4 week, all day, peak, nbus ticket | based on 52 week, all day, peak, nbus ticket |
Provides unlimited use of the services of over 30 bus companies
Example of Multi-Modal Fare Costs 2007
| 2007 | Day ticket | Weekly pass | Monthly pass | Annual pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| network ticket for zones 1-5 | £5.80 | £22.10 | £75.00 | £795.00 |
Unlimited use of the bus, Metro and rail system for the period of ticket purchased
Current developments and projects in 2006/07
The £7 million Network West Midlands initiative continued to be rolled out. The project is a partnership between Centro-WMPTA and bus, rail and tram operating companies within the West Midlands County to promote increased public transport use by connecting and clearly identifying the complete network of bus, rail and metro services. It means a new range of information, including network identifiers, regularly updated passenger information, timetables and a website (www.networkwestmidlands.com), all designed to make public transport easier to use.
Language Line, is a free translation service offered in a wide variety of languages, enabling visitors, tourists and people whose first language may not be English access to bus, train and tram information. The service works by providing a three-way telephone conversation between the customer, an interpreter and the member of staff who sets up the call.
Workwise, an initiative which breaks down major transport barriers preventing access to employment. The project provides free public transport passes for attendance at interviews and then free monthly passes once someone has found a job, easing financial pressures until they receive their first wage. The project was originally launched in 2003 as a two-year pilot, but it has proved so successful it has been extended to at least 2008.
Birmingham has been chosen to trial the UK pilot of a new high-tech travel initiative which aims to reduce congestion and combat social exclusion. In a partnership between Centro-WMPTA and Birmingham City Council, community and faith groups are provided with free travel support to encourage people to travel to their venue by sustainable transport. Through a free, web-based portal bespoke to each organisation, specific public transport information, including real time, bus, rail and metro timetables for services that operate nearby and electronic journey planners are available. The pilot is being watched closely by Local Authorities across the UK and if successful the scheme could be rolled out nationwide.
The Parry People Mover Railcar, a rail-based vehicle which combines flywheel technology and a gas-powered engine to make it cheap and clean to run has undergone an experimental service over the past year. The 10 minute shuttle service has proved popular with passengers and the service was 100 per cent reliable on most days. Due to its success, the mini-tram service will become a permanent service and will operate between Stourbridge Town and Stourbridge Junction under the new London-Midland franchise.