New 'Sprint' bus routes to be completed in time for Commonwealth Games

Three rapid transit bus routes are being fast-tracked to be ready in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Plans for a £279 million 'Sprint' network have been discussed for a number of years, but no progress to deliver them has been made until now. The route's involve low noise, low vibration, buses running on a designates section of road in order to bypass traffic problems - they have been described as a tram without rails.

Three routes are set to be finished in time for 2022. They include Birmingham to Walsall (along the A34), Birmingham to Solihull (along the A45) and Birmingham to Sutton Coldfield (via Tyburn Road). 

Further routes linking Birmingham City Centre to Dudley, Halesowen, Longbridge and Hall Green are on track to be completed alongside HS2 in 2026. Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, cabinet member for roads, Stewart Stacey, said:

“Everyone’s wondering where Sprint has been. It’s been got out, the garage doors have been flung open by the achievement of winning the Commonwealth Games . Sprint is part of our strategy for moving people about for the Games.”

“The three routes which are essential to the Commonwealth Games are going to be done first.”

Once complete, the features of the full network include 80 new vehicles which are low noise, low vibration and low polluting and fitted with air conditioning and wifi. Passengers can look forward to reliable journeys on segregated street, which will travel past the common sight of traffic jams on arterial routes into the city.