Help name the region's new public transport network

Passengers in Birmingham and across the region are being asked to help name the area's public transport network, as buses come back under public control for the first time in four decades.

The regional mayor, Richard Parker, is inviting the public to put forward suggestions for what the network should be called. It is part of a major makeover that will bring buses, trains and trams together under a single banner.

Buses back under public control

The new name comes as the combined authority prepares to franchise bus services. Under the new model, routes, timetables and fares will be set by the mayor and the combined authority, making the network directly accountable to the public. Private operators will compete for contracts to run services, rather than running them on a deregulated, commercial basis.

Once franchised, buses will share the same branding, colour scheme and fare structure, whichever company runs them. These will be announced next year, ahead of the launch of the first franchised services in October 2027.

"We want the public to help us name it"

The regional mayor said: "I'm taking back control of our buses so they're affordable, reliable and offer journeys people actually need. Because the network will be publicly controlled, we want the public to help us name it."

Praising the region's "endless creativity, innovation and good humour", he said he wanted to see people's ideas, "whether it's something inspired by our history, our culture, or just puts a smile on people's faces when they see it on the side of a double-decker."

How to take part

People can submit ideas through the Help name our network website, or by replying on the social media channels of the mayor and the regional transport authority, which will be monitored for suitable suggestions. The ideas will be considered as part of a wider process to create the network's new identity.

When franchising arrives

In August, companies were invited to bid for the first three contracts, covering Coventry, north Birmingham and Walsall, with services due to start in October 2027. The second phase will follow in Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton in 2028, and the third in Solihull and south Birmingham in 2029.

Greater Manchester, which brought its buses back under public control under the Bee Network name, has shown how a single brand can make a network easier to understand and use. Birmingham's version will have a name chosen with help from the people who ride it.

Passengers can also comment on the wider plans for the future of bus services through the Your Bus, Your Say campaign.