Purple Emerges as Favourite Colour for Future West Midlands Bus Network

A public survey on the future appearance of buses in the West Midlands has revealed strong support for a purple colour scheme as regional transport leaders prepare to introduce a unified branding system across the network.

More than 1,300 people took part in the poll, which asked residents to choose from six possible colour options for buses that will eventually operate under a franchised transport model managed by Transport for West Midlands. Purple emerged as the clear winner, securing almost 54% of the total vote.

The survey was launched as plans continue to progress for bringing bus services in the region under greater public control through a system similar to Greater Manchester’s Bee Network. Under the proposed arrangement, private operators would continue running services, but routes, fares and timetables would be set centrally by Transport for West Midlands.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker is understood to favour purple because it avoids associations with the region’s football rivalries while also offering a distinctive identity for the future transport network.

Grey finished in second place with 19% of the vote, while a gold-and-black design inspired by Wolverhampton Wanderers colours received 11%. Green, red and blue attracted smaller levels of support.

The full survey results were:

• Purple – 697 votes (54%)

• Grey – 247 votes (19%)

• Gold and black – 142 votes (11%)

• Green – 99 votes (8%)

• Red – 62 votes (5%)

• Blue – 43 votes (3%)

Although no final decision has yet been confirmed, sources within Transport for West Midlands reportedly consider purple the leading option at this stage.

The planned franchising programme is expected to be introduced in phases over several years. Services in Walsall, Coventry and parts of Birmingham are currently scheduled to launch under the new model first, followed by Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton in 2028, with remaining areas including Solihull and southern Birmingham following in 2029.

As part of the wider transport overhaul, the West Midlands Combined Authority plans to acquire several bus depots across the region at an estimated cost of £50 million. The authority believes ownership of depots will help create a more competitive operating environment by reducing barriers for transport companies bidding for franchise contracts.

While the colour debate generated enthusiasm and nostalgia among many readers, numerous comments focused less on appearance and more on service quality. Many respondents said reliability, punctuality, cleanliness and improved accessibility should remain the main priorities for the future network.

Others suggested reviving historic liveries once associated with local transport operators across the Black Country and Birmingham, reflecting strong public attachment to the region’s transport heritage.