Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is a core department within the recently established West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA, 2016). Both are local government organisations which lead and unite seven constituent councils to manage investment, pool resources and set the strategic direction for regional policy. The West Midlands region encompasses three cities, post-industrial and suburban settlements, and 2.8 million residents. The area is characterised by the diversity of both its population and urban landscape.

TfWM is driven by the ambition to create an improved transport network that can support growth, regeneration, social improvements and the environment. It operates under the twenty-years strategic plan ‘Movement for Growth’, which recognises the role of an inclusive, evidence-based transport system in realising wider outcomes. Indeed, TfWM acts as an engine within WMCA by synergising with the emerging departments that will shape the region’s strategy for skills, housing, health and public sector reform.