New buses for Sandwell

National Express West Midlands (NXWM) and Centro, the West Midlands public transport co-ordinator, have joined forces to introduce over 50 new buses to the borough of Sandwell. The £9m investment is part of a two year plan that will include more than 300 new buses on the region’s roads, new bus shelters, and the introduction of the Sprint Rapid Transit system between Birmingham and Quinton. The buses, which will operate from the West Bromwich depot, are a mix of double and single deck vehicles and include several midi buses which will be used to meet the demands of new housing developments. All the vehicles are from Alexander Dennis and include 33 ADL Enviro400s, nine 10.8m Enviro200s and ten 8.9m Enviro200s. All will have CCTV systems with pictures being displayed on screens in the vehicles.

Centro Chairman, Cllr John McNicholas, said, ‘This investment is great news for Sandwell passengers. It is yet another example of the very real benefits that Centro’s partnership with NXWM is bringing to bus users across the region.’

Leader of Sandwell Borough Council, Cllr Darren Cooper, added, ‘It’s great news for Sandwell, especially as we’re getting the region’s biggest investment in new buses this year. It’s a major investment from National Express and Centro and really good news for public transport in Sandwell.’