A new sprint bus transport service to be launched in Birmingham and Solihull has been boosted by a £10 million funding injection.
UK Infrastructure Bank has loaned the capital to the West Midlands Combined Authority for phase one of the new route along the A45 south east of Birmingham city centre.
The project is aiming to increase connectivity between residential and employment areas, speed up journey times and reduce carbon emissions.
It is predicted the sprint bus project will unlock nearly 4,000 jobs due to the increased frequency and speed of connections between Birmingham city centre, the airport and Solihull.
Journey times along the route will be reduced and peak services are expected to run at least every ten minutes, with emissions reduced through less congestion and the use of new hydrogen buses.
UK Infrastructure Bank is a government-owned body launched in June to focus on increasing infrastructure investment across the UK by partnering with both private sector and local governments to finance green projects.
Chief executive John Flint said: "This project not only delivers in working towards achieving our net zero target but is important to the economic growth in the region.
"Zero emission buses are crucial to decarbonise the transport sector and provide efficient, reliable services for all.
"This is our first deal with the West Midlands Combined Authority and we are looking forward to working with the team again in the future."
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street added: "Our sprint project represents a major investment in our public transport network to enable us to improve both reliability and journey times for passengers, bypassing traffic jams on some of Birmingham's key routes.
"The support of the UK Infrastructure Bank for this initiative is a real vote of confidence in the West Midlands and we look forward to working with them on future projects."
