Centro’s Annual Statistical Report 2008/9, highlighting trends in the region’s public transport, shows that the number of people catching the bus also rose by 0.4 per cent to nearly 327 million – the first increase in passengers since 1999.

The report, which covers the period from April 2008 to March 2009, points to evidence of a switch by motorists to both bus and rail, with local train passenger numbers up six per cent.

The document, released by the region’s transport authority this week, shows that the number of people using the Midland Metro tram held steady at five million with the system running close to its passenger capacity during the morning and early evening peak times.

The Metro was also successful in attracting greater numbers of car owners with use of its popular park and ride facilities running at 94 per cent capacity – up from 84 per cent on the previous year. Meanwhile reliability on the Metro remained high during 2008/9 at 99.7 per cent.

Centro Chairman, Cllr Gary Clarke, said: “The annual increase in rail passengers shows no signs of letting up which is why we are working closely with Network Rail and London Midland on ways to expand the network and meet this demand – not least with the rebuilding of New Street Station.

“The rise in rail and bus passengers, together with the popularity of the Metro, suggests that public transport is becoming a more appealing and viable option especially for those fed up with being stuck in congestion during their daily commute.”

Centro Chief Executive Geoff Inskip added: “The increase in passengers reflects the hard work we have undertaken to enhance public transport facilities and help bus and rail operators to further improve services.

“But there’s no doubt that the coming months are going to be financially challenging for all of us. It is therefore important that we further galvanize our existing resources in order to secure the public transport improvements that the people and businesses of the West Midlands need and deserve.”

Other encouraging figures in the report include a decrease in the number of people choosing to drive into a number of our town and city centres. Private car trips into Wolverhampton were down by six per cent while those into Sutton Coldfield fell by nine per cent.

There was also a four per cent increase in bus passengers in Dudley where Centro, together with operator National Express West Midlands and the borough council, carried out a major overhaul of the bus network in April 2008. The modernisation was carefully designed to make the network easier to understand and provide passengers with more frequent services to the borough’s key destinations.

The rise in rail, bus and Metro passengers has come despite an on-going increase in car ownership. The report shows that the percentage of West Midlands households with no car fell from 51 per cent in 1971 to just  34 per cent in 2001 with Department for Transport projections showing only 22 per cent of households having no car by 2035.

The report also includes a factsheet which highlights the effect transport has on the environment. Travel by private car as opposed to public transport emits the greatest level of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) with an average of 180 grams per passenger km, compared with 89 by bus, 65 by light rail and 60 by rail.

The full report can be viewed by logging on to www.centro.org.uk/corporateinformation/publications.aspx