People in West Birmingham were today reminded that they have until this Friday (26 February 2010) to give their views on bus services in the area as part of plans to improve the local transport network.

Transport authority Centro is working with bus company National Express West Midlands and Birmingham City Council to build on the area’s existing good bus network to make sure it provides the high-quality services people want and need.

The partners are looking closely at bus services between the Hagley Road and Bristol road to see what can be done to provide better transport links for existing and prospective passengers in the area.

The aim is also to provide improved links to the new Queen Elizabeth super hospital which is due to open in June this year.

A series of public exhibitions have taken place over the last fortnight with a large number of people who visit, work and live in West Birmingham coming along to give their views on what would make their bus network better.

Those who were unable to attend are now being encouraged to have their say at www.networkwestmidlands.com where the consultation will close on Friday.

Cllr Jon Hunt, Lead Member for Bus & Highways at Centro said: “Input from the people who visit, work and live in West Birmingham is vital if we are to make the right improvements to bus services in the area.

“All the feedback we receive will be looked at closely over the coming weeks and taken into account to decide what enhancements will be made to the local transport network.

“I would therefore like to encourage anyone in the area who has not yet had their say to go to networkwestmidlands.com and fill out the survey so we can make sure we give people the bus services they want and need.”

The information from the consultation together with other research will be used to draw up a number of key improvements with the aim of providing an easier to understand network of routes and services particularly to big trip generators like hospitals and main housing, retail and employment areas.

The improvements are due to come into effect during the summer.

The work forms part of Centro’s groundbreaking Transforming Bus Travel vision which aims to improve the quality of bus travel for residents and visitors to the West Midlands to make services even better for existing bus users and help to attract car users on to public transport.

The online survey can be found at www.networkwestmidlands.com/busreview by clicking on West Birmingham.