UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 09 AUGUST
Students at Birmingham City University (BCU) have been praised by the Mayor of West Midlands for their ambitious ideas to turn the iconic Number 11 bus route into a tourist attraction as well as a vehicle to promote cultural pride and economic growth in the region.
“The Number 11 has been serving all corners of Birmingham for almost 100 years,” said Richard Parker, who, as Mayor, is head of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
“It is an institution and rightly regarded with great affection among the communities it serves.
“These students understand that public transport is about so much more than just vehicles, timetables and routes. It is about forging better connections between our people and communities, expanding horizons and opening up new opportunities.
“They can look forward to amazing careers helping to shape the towns and cities of the future.”
Architecture and landscape architecture students came up with a number of ideas to link the Number 11 route to Birmingham’s culture, communities, and environment, with one team suggesting using the route to showcase the hundreds of languages spoken across the city.
Another explored how the bus route could be used to promote physical and mental wellbeing.
Kathryn Moore, Professor of Landscape Architecture at BCU, said: “Students have developed proposals that will, by reconnecting people with their territory, help celebrate cultural identify, evoke pride and instil self-confidence across the region.
“The ambition for the Number 11 bus route – in addition to being a vital public transport route – is for it to become a significant tourist attraction, a catalyst for local economic growth and to support the region’s diverse communities.”
Architecture student Milca Gennuso added: “It’s important to be a voice for the diverse communities in Birmingham, as well as promoting use of the bus to attend events in and around Erdington Library Plaza.
“That’s why my ideas included cultural landmarks and arches to lead people to the library. I want the route to be aesthetic and create simple, happy moments in everyday life.”
The research project is part of BCU’s West Midlands National Park (WMNP) lab, which aims to rediscover the vast, hidden, and sometimes overlooked landscape of the West Midlands.
The students’ recommendations for the route are on display at a new exhibition Number 11: Know Your Place at The Library of Birmingham, which will run until October 2024.
Visit the free exhibition to discover more about the places of interest along the route and see photos of passers-by captured by Ming de Nasty and Stan’s Café Theatre Company.