THE WEST Midlands travel board has issued new rules for passengers and transport companies as coronavirus restrictions start to be lifted.
After a lockdown period of seven weeks, essential journeys can be made on the region’s transport network.
Transport for the West Midlands says it is working with police and travel operators to help more workers travel safely.
Operators, including West Midlands Railway and National Express West Midlands, are to increase services to meet growing demand.
Bus and railway stations will also put in place one-way systems.
In a statement, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) said: “Keeping passengers and staff safe remains the priority and with an increase in public transport use expected tomorrow, staff across the region are watching carefully and are ready to respond if any issues arise. However people are still being urged to avoid public transport, and only travel if the journey is essential.
“To help keep those who need to travel safe, the Regional Transport Coordination Centre (RTCC), which has access to 1,700 CCTV cameras covering our bus, rail, tram and road networks, will be monitoring the situation and are ready to alert transport operators and police to prevent crowding and other issues.
“Regular updates on congestion and pinch points will also be issued to the travelling public via the West Midlands Network website and social media accounts so commuters can avoid potential bottlenecks and maintain social distancing.
“To allow for continued social distancing as passenger numbers rise, West Midlands Railway are increasing services with a new timetable on Monday, 18th May. National Express West Midlands is also expected to increase the number of buses it has out on key routes to help create more space as demand rises.
“Waiting areas, bus stations and platforms are clearly marked to help guide passengers on social distancing, and extra staff will be deployed at key interchanges to help advise the public.
