Solihull West & Shirley is a vital economic hub in the West Midlands, which is why Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst is campaigning to ensure residents and commuters can travel easily and affordably.
When the Prime Minister announced a rise in the national bus fare cap from £2 to £3, with a further increase of 8.6% to follow, Neil took action. He wrote to the West Midlands Mayor, urging him to use devolved powers to keep fares low through Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
Despite this, local bus services have been cut, affecting many communities across the constituency. Neil raised the issue in his first question of 2025 in the House of Commons, standing up for communities like Cheswick Green that have been badly affected. He’s also launched a constituency-wide bus survey to ensure local voices are heard loud and clear.
TfWM is preparing to franchise the region’s bus network, but Solihull will not see changes until the final rollout phase in summer 2029.
Neil is also calling for better rail services, raising concerns with Chiltern Railways about overcrowding and ageing trains, and backing a modern Integrated Transport Hub at Solihull Station.
Neil remains committed to securing better buses, trains, and infrastructure for everyone in Solihull West & Shirley.