West Midlands councils are likely to increase their transport fund contributions to support free or discounted travel passes for residents.
West Midlands: Councils are meeting this week to discuss transport funding. They plan to increase contributions for free or discounted travel passes.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board will meet on Friday to finalize the 2025/26 budget. They aim to raise the transport levy by £3.6 million.
This increase will raise the total from £119.35 million to £122.94 million. The goal is to address transport funding pressures caused by inflation and previous funding cuts.
Importantly, there will be no extra burden on residents’ council tax bills. Mayor Richard Parker confirmed no additional precept will be added.
The budget also includes a £40,000 increase for the Mayoral office due to staffing costs. However, this is still lower than expected.
Most of the transport levy funds support the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. This scheme offers free or half-priced travel for eligible residents.
If approved, each council will see slight increases in their contributions. For example, Birmingham’s share will rise from £46.78 million to £48.09 million.
The report emphasizes that the transport levy is crucial for maintaining and developing transport infrastructure in the region.
