Sprint
We’re making it quicker and easier to travel between Walsall, Birmingham and Solihull by bus.
By creating one continuous bus priority route along the A34 and A45, Sprint is speeding up services and better connecting our town and city centres. Along the route, passengers can easily switch between bus services, metro and rail to continue their journey across the region and beyond.
Phase 1 - what have we done so far?
In Phase 1 we extended bus lanes, added bus priority signalling at busy junctions and installed enhanced bus shelters. The changes have already improved journey times for all services along the corridor.
Phase 2 - what are we doing?
In Phase 2 we are introducing additional bus priority measures and enhanced shelters between Solihull and Walsall town centres, and in Birmingham city centre.
Sprint bus shelters
Our Sprint bus shelters are improving safety and the passenger experience by providing comfortable seating, real-time information, CCTV and a larger waiting area.
Buses of the future
In the future, our Sprint bus shelters will be served by articulated buses with multiple doors, speeding up boarding, reducing bus waiting time at stops and improving overall journey times.
Sprint in construction
Construction work for Sprint Phase 2 is being delivered by our contractor, Taylor Woodrow.
Find out what is happening on Sprint in your area below.
Construction for Sprint Phase 2 in Birmingham started in September 2024. Work includes installing Sprint bus shelters, bus priority measures at traffic lights and highway improvements.
Latest work
Six new Sprint shelters have been installed at various locations. Work has also been carried out to update traffic signals at the Scott Arms junction and various sections of the A34 while the A45 has benefitted from highway resurfacing.
Works are continuing on Lane 1 of Lyndon Road which involves the installation of new drainage systems, realignment of kerbs and resurfacing of the carriageway and footway.
New traffic signals, drainage and kerbs have been installed on A45 Coventry Road near Gilberstone Avenue as well as highway resurfacing between Gilbertstone Avenue and Clay Lane.
Works on Keswick Road (outbound) are ongoing with the installation of a new Sprint bus shelter.
Works have started on Wheatsheaf bus stop to remove the existing bus shelter and install a new Sprint shelter.
Work for Sprint Phase 2 in Solihull started in September 2024 with the installation of a new bus lane being carried out along Lode Lane (next to the Jaguar Land Rover site). Further bus priority measures are also being introduced with Sprint bus shelters installed along Hobs Moat Road and in Solihull town centre.
Latest work
Hobs Moat Road
Works along Hobs Moat Road have now been completed with the widening of the carriageway and installation of new drainage systems.
Existing bus stops have been removed and replaced with new Sprint shelters for Old Lode Lane heading inbound and outbound.
The relocation of street lighting, installation of kerb drainage and works to widen the carriageway adjacent to Toby Carvery have also finished.
A controlled pedestrian crossing has been fitted while the Hobs Moat Road service roads have been resurfaced.
At the Old Lode Lane junction, works continue to install a cycle crossing.
Traffic signals at the junction with A45 Coventry Road have been upgraded and this route also has new kerbing.
Bus stops on Melton Avenue have been removed in both directions.
Lode Lane
The works on Lode Lane and Warwick Road bus gate have been completed which involved the excavation of the grass verge and removal of trees, the removal of Touchwood Hall Close bus shelter, installation of new signalling infrastructure, kerbs and drainage systems.
At Jaguar Land Rover, new drainage systems, traffic light infrastructure, kerbs and widening of the carriageway are continuing to be installed.
Bus stop works at Solihull Station Approach (bus stop A) have been completed as well as the Rowood Drive and Hermitage Road bus stop works - with resurfacing and new Sprint shelters installed.
The kerb on Poplar Road has been realigned.
New bus stops have been installed at shelters SA, SK and SL in Solihull Town Centre.
Lode Heath, Rowood Drive and Henley Crescent bus stops have been resurfaced.
Utility work for Sprint Phase 2 in Walsall is currently underway with main construction work expected to start in Quarter 1 of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our region is growing. By 2035, the population of the West Midlands is set to increase by up to 444,000 (100 people per day) and we expect 215,000 new homes to be built across the region by 2030.
In the same period, we anticipate that business investment will generate an additional 50,000 jobs, while the introduction of HS2 will open our connections to a wider area.
We also want growth to be inclusive and sustainable so that everyone can benefit from the opportunities it will bring.
Investment in our passenger transport network will help provide the capacity and quality of service we need, while helping to keep our region moving.
Dedicated bus lanes, priority signalling at junctions and swifter movement of passengers on and off buses, means that journey times will be quicker and more predictable without buses going any faster.
We are committed to providing ongoing communications and engagement with communities along the corridor, particularly during construction. Notifications are sent out to residents and businesses two weeks in advance of work taking place in a particular area.
You can keep up to date with progress via our website.
Impact of works
To see how these works impact you, visit our disruptions page.
Latest News
Plans to make bus journeys more reliable in Solihull to be revealed