For £349 a month users can access unlimited public transport across the region including travel on buses, trams, trains and hire bicycles as well as taxis, coaches and car hire through participating companies.

 

The app is an example of ‘Mobility as a Service’ and was first introduced to the West Midlands on a pay per ride basis last October by Finland based developer MaaS Global.

 

“We aim to provide access to many transport modes so that users will not have to own their own car,” said the company’s UK head Chris Perry.

 

“We very much want to encourage public transport use, walking and cycling and promise the good life to people without access to a vehicle.” He added that, in time, accessing mobility services through an app will have potential benefits for not only dense urban networks, but rural areas too.

 

The app works alongside a travel card known as Swift and is supported by transport providers including National Express, Gett Taxis, Enterprise rent a car and Next Bike.

 

New customers can sign up for the mobility service via the Whim app or visit Central Square in Brindley Place, Birmingham from tomorrow until 14 April.

 

Whim founder Sampo Hietenan said the launch of unlimited travel in the West Midlands should help to challenge people to think about how they move around. “We are not anti-car and still offer access to cars when needed. But we are showing people that they don’t need to be so reliant on car ownership.”

 

The West Midlands is the first place outside of Finland to use the new mobility service. By the end of the year the developer aims to expand the service to Amsterdam, Antwerp in Belgium and Singapore.