National Express enters West Midlands bus alliance
Transport operator National Express signed up for the first Bus Alliance in the UK last week in the West Midlands.
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The alliance will run until 2020 and will see £150m invested in new vehicles, technology and road improvements.
It was launched by the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority, made up of the seven leaders of the region's metropolitan councils; Centro, the region's transport delivery body; and National Express West Midlands and other local bus operators.
The aim of the alliance is to improve bus journey times during rush hour, increase investment in highways infrastructure, enhance on-board services including more next stop announcements and WiFi and offer the option for customers to pay with their phones and smartwatches.
Chief executive Dean Finch said: "This alliance is a first for the UK. We believe a partnership approach is key in driving excellent customer service standards and passenger growth.
This agreement will quickly deliver further benefits to West Midlands bus passengers today. Securing this five year alliance is a positive and significant development for our UK Bus business."
At 1225 GMT, National Express shares were down 0.1% at 322.40p.