A recent analysis by the campaign group Britain Remade highlights how Birmingham and the West Midlands are falling behind their French twin city, Lyon, in public transport infrastructure. The group is urging the UK government to grant metro mayors greater control over local transport projects to close this gap.
Despite having a population slightly smaller than the West Midlands Combined Authority (2.3 million in Lyon’s metro area versus just over 3 million in the West Midlands), Lyon has developed a far more extensive mass transit system. The West Midlands Metro currently operates 15 miles of tram track across 33 stations, whereas Lyon boasts 66 miles of underground lines serving 150 stations.
This difference extends to usage: Lyon’s metro carries about 260 million passengers annually, averaging roughly 111 trips per person each year. In contrast, the West Midlands tram system only sees 9 million passengers annually—less than 3 trips per person.
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Britain Remade attributes this disparity primarily to local governance and authority. In Lyon, metro mayors have the power to plan, finance, and deliver transport projects directly. Meanwhile, English metro mayors, such as West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, must seek approval from Westminster before advancing significant schemes.
This centralised approach, the group argues, has slowed the development of clean, efficient transport networks in English cities compared to their European counterparts. The campaign highlights the ongoing English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill as a critical opportunity. They’re calling for amendments to grant all 14 English metro mayors full authority to approve, fund, and deliver transport infrastructure autonomously.
Sam Richards, founder of Britain Remade, said: “Cities like Lyon trust local leaders to build the transport systems their economies need. In England, mayors still have to seek approval from the Treasury and Department for Transport, hindering progress.
“That’s why cities such as Birmingham lag behind comparable European cities. Directly elected mayors understand their regions’ needs better than distant Whitehall officials.
“If the government wants cities like Birmingham to compete with the best in Europe, it must empower local leaders to act independently.
“The Prime Minister should seize the opportunity presented by the current legislation to delegate these powers. Only then can local leaders unlock their regions’ full potential.”