The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE), better known as Centro, is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for promoting and co-ordinating public transport services throughout the West Midlands county in England. In the United Kingdom, Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) are local government bodies which are responsible for public transport within large urban areas. ... A taxi serving as a bus Public transport comprises all transport systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England, the United Kingdom, formed in 1974. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion...

Centro is administered by the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (WMPTA) which sets policies and budgets for the executive. The WMPTA is a joint-authority made up of 27 appointed councillors from the local authorities of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton, which make up the West Midlands, it is also co-funded by these authorities. Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state. ... The city from above Centenary Square. ... Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. ... The Metropolitan borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. ... Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. ... Solihull is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. ... Walsall is a metropolitan borough of the county of West Midlands, England. ... Wolverhampton is an industrial, commercial and university city and metropolitan borough in the English West Midlands, traditionally part of the county of Staffordshire. ...

Functions

Centro and the WMPTA do not actually run passenger services, which are run by private companies, but are responsible for:

• Subsidising some bus services which are considered socially necessary but would not otherwise be viable. And providing bus stops and shelters. It also operates twelve major bus stations throughout the West Midlands.
• Managing the funding and administration of concessionary fares for the elderly and disabled etc. Centro also runs "Ring-and-Ride" services for the disabled.
• Centro controls local train services operating in the county, and specifies fares and service levels. Although the services are operated on Centro's behalf by Central Trains under a franchise agreement.
• Centro and the WMPTA are responsible for developing public transport facilities across the county, such as new stations, transport interchanges and the Midland Metro.
• Centro is also responsible for, providing information about public transport services, and operates multi-modal ticketing schemes.

A subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by government in support of an activity regarded as being in the public interest. ... The Bus, established by Mayor Frank Fasi, is Honolulus only public transit system. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ... A Central Trains Class 158/0 unit Central Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running local and cross-country trains in central England. ... A Midland Metro tram The Midland Metro is a light-rail tram system in the West Midlands of England. ...

History

The WMPTE was first established in 1968, by the 1968 Transport Act to operate and co-ordinate public transport across the West Midlands conurbation, which previously was run by individual councils. It innitially only covered the Birmingham/Black Country area. But in 1974 was extended to include Coventry when the West Midlands county was created. 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... The city from above Centenary Square. ... The Black Country is an area of conurbation to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton in the English West Midlands, around the South Staffordshire coal field. ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. ...

Between 1968-1974 the WMPTE was administered by a joint Passenger Transport Authority. However in 1974 the role of the PTA was taken over by the West Midlands County Council. When the county council was abolished in 1986, a new PTA was created. The West Midlands County Council (WMCC) was the former upper-tier administrative body for the West Midlands county, a metropolitan county in England. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Also in 1986, bus services across England were privatised. And the WMPTE was forced to sell off its bus fleet to private operators. The Bus, established by Mayor Frank Fasi, is Honolulus only public transit system. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ...

See also

• Transport in Birmingham
• Central Trains
• Travel West Midlands

Due in part to its location in central England, Birmingham is a major transport hub. ... A Central Trains Class 158/0 unit Central Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running local and cross-country trains in central England. ... One of the UKs largest bus operators, operating through the West Midlands county in the cities of Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton as well as the towns of Solihull, Walsall and Dudley and also in the borough of Sandwell. ...

External links

• Centro's homepage (http://www.centro.org.uk/wwwroot/HomePage.asp)
• West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (http://www.wmpta.org.uk/)