Commuters across the region will now be able to reserve spaces at Black Lake, Priestfield and Wednesbury Parkway through the "Save-a-Space" service.

This means commuters no longer need to cross their fingers for an available space at park and ride sites. Now, they can simply enjoy the convenience and peace of mind of knowing a space is waiting for them.

New Save-a-Space reservation system is being rolled out to three West Midlands Metro stops across the region.

It also means people who need to travel later due to shift patterns, childcare or other reasons can get a parking space at sites which are often full by 9am.

To reserve a space, users simply need to download the Save-a-Space app, select their preferred site, date and time and confirm their booking by paying a fee of £3.60. Proceeds go towards supporting the service and the maintenance of Park & Ride sites.

Save-a-Space was first introduced in 2016 as part of a trial funded by Innovate UK. The service was so popular that TfWM agreed to continue the service after the funding expired, introducing a charge to help contribute towards the cost.

Following Covid-19 the service was reinstated at existing Save-a-Space locations at seven key railway stations – Four Oaks, Longbridge, Northfield, Rowley Regis, Stourbridge Junction, Tile Hill and Whitlocks End. It’s ongoing success has led to the decision to provide the service to Metro customers.

TfWM has partnered with Accelogress, a technology company specialising in innovative parking solutions, to deliver a seamless and efficient reservation system. This reflects TfWM's commitment to providing an enhanced and accessible public transport system, which caters to the needs of the region.

Cllr Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio lead for transport and leader of Walsall Council, said: "The Save-a-Space service is a fantastic way to offer commuters a stress-free way to reserve their parking spots. This initiative not only benefits the users but also contributes to the maintenance of our park and ride sites.

“We have witnessed the recent revival in park and ride usage and therefore, this is a brilliant opportunity to expand this service to the new metro park and ride sites launched in November. Initiatives like this exemplify our dedication to providing a reliable and efficient public transport system tailored to the region's needs,"

Ralf Kernchen, CEO of Accelogress Limited, added: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Transport for West Midlands and local public transport users to develop our Save-a-Space service over the past few years, and seeing more and more people use the app.

“We are very excited to be rolling out Save-a-Space to more sites to benefit Metro users and we have also taken the opportunity to make some improvements to the app and sign-up process so it’s easier than ever for customers to book a space.”

For more information about the Save-a-Space campaign, please visit the TfWM website.