Free passenger WiFi is to be trialled at Walsall’s newly refurbished bus station ahead of a roll out across the region. The trial was announced by Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street as he visited St Paul’s bus station to congratulate staff following a £680,000 revamp. The works included the installation of new energy efficient LED lighting, a new cycle storage area, a driver rest area, CCTV upgrades, new public information displays and refurbished toilets.
The building, which is nearly 20 years old and used by eight million passengers a year, has also been given a fresh lick of paint and clad in the new distinctive red West Midlands Buses branding.
The station, which sees nearly half a million bus departures a year, is run by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Mayor Andy Street said: “I am delighted that passengers will soon be able to browse using free WiFi while they wait for their buses at stations across the West Midlands. This WiFi upgrade comes after other recent improvements delivered with our Bus Alliance partners such as contactless and smart ticketing, live travel information apps and low fare zones.
“On top of this we are also spending significant sums improving stations where needed. It was great to visit the improved Walsall St Paul’s station, which is looking fantastic after our £680,000 investment. These improvements show how committed we are to improving the public transport experience, and I am proud that this approach is yielding results – with bus passenger numbers up in our region but down across the UK.”
Last year, before the work started, customer surveys revealed the bus station was regarded as cold, unwelcoming and cramped. Recent feedback has been much more complimentary, said TfWM, with passengers feeling safer, finding it more spacious and enjoying the improved facilities.
Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council and WMCA portfolio holder for transport, said: “The transformation at Walsall St Paul’s bus station has been very popular with passengers and we are delighted to be moving on to carry out similar schemes at more of our bus stations, including Pool Meadow in Coventry in the near future. We are investing billions of pounds in public transport across the region to make it easier for people to leave their cars at home and take the bus, train, tram or cycle instead.”
