Plans to establish a new electric bus depot in the east Birmingham suburb of Kitts Green have progressed significantly as part of wider ambitions to enhance the local bus network.
Transport for West Midlands has submitted a planning application proposing the development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Bus Depot on former sewage works land off Lea Ford Road. Birmingham City Council has agreed to sell this council-owned site, creating an essential step towards realising the facility.
According to a recent council report, the new depot would address the upcoming closure of the Birmingham central depot by providing much-needed capacity in the east of the city and delivering efficiencies across the network. Anticipated benefits include the introduction of greener buses, increased frequency of services, simplified route networks, and faster, more reliable journeys. The depot would also support vital services such as Ring and Ride.
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The council estimates that locating the depot in east Birmingham could reduce bus mileage by approximately 650,000 kilometres annually, leading to significant fuel savings and a reduction in carbon emissions. An accelerated bus replacement programme would also improve air quality by substituting older diesel buses with zero-emissions vehicles.
The land sale received approval at a property meeting held earlier this week, while the planning application-still awaiting formal consent-notes the depot’s capacity to operate a fully electric fleet of 110 buses.
This project forms part of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) broader strategy to acquire depots throughout the region, a key component of transitioning the bus network to a franchise model aimed at enhancing service quality and public control.
Recently, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and the WMCA secured approval for the acquisition of National Express West Midlands’ bus operations. This move is designed to preserve hundreds of journeys and protect thousands of local jobs. Mayor Parker reaffirmed his commitment to franchising the entire bus network, emphasising that it would afford the public greater influence over fares, timetables, and services.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has praised the acquisition, highlighting that bringing more local buses under public ownership will safeguard essential routes that might otherwise have been lost. He noted that this partnership between government and local leaders represents a significant milestone in empowering communities to have greater control over their bus services, aligning with the objectives of Number 10 North.