A good night out depends on getting home
Music venues, theatres and cultural attractions bring people into the West Midlands’ towns and cities. But when public transport finishes before the evening does, it limits the experience for visitors and creates difficulties for the people working behind the scenes.
Commissioned by West Midlands Growth Company, this research examined how public transport supports the region’s evening economy. It explored the experiences of audiences, employees and employers, identifying where better connections could support cultural participation, employment and more sustainable travel.
Where transport falls short
The study combined existing audience research, stakeholder interviews and consultation with transport data analysis. A cultural and night-time infrastructure map brought together 3,814 destinations, helping show how venues and attractions connect with the transport network.
The evidence revealed a gap between reaching an event and getting home afterwards. Around 40% of audiences used public transport to reach cultural venues, but only around 18% relied on it for the return journey. Limited late-night services, reliability concerns and difficulty finding clear travel information pushed people towards cars and taxis.
The effects extended to the workforce. Employers reported difficulties recruiting and retaining staff for late shifts, while workers faced costly journeys and concerns about safety. Some venues subsidised taxis or adjusted shifts, adding costs or restricting who they could employ.
The journey home shapes the evening economy
The findings show why transport planning needs to account for event finishing times and late shifts, alongside the location of cultural destinations.
of audiences used public transport to reach cultural venues (approx)
used public transport for the return journey (approx)
destinations included in the cultural and night-time infrastructure database
Transport-use figures draw on the surveys and interviews reviewed in the report, rather than a single region-wide audience survey.
Building better connections after dark
The report recommends testing extended late-night services along key cultural and employment routes, supported by closer coordination between transport operators, venues and local authorities. Aligning services with event and shift finishing times would help address the needs of both visitors and workers.
Better information and safer journeys are also priorities. Clearer real-time updates, integrated ticketing and improvements to lighting and security at transport hubs could make public transport easier to use with confidence. Partnerships between employers and operators could help develop more practical travel options for night-shift staff.
These recommendations give regional partners an evidence base for planning and testing improvements. Further evaluation would be needed to establish how extended services affect travel choices, business costs and emissions, helping direct investment towards measures that make a measurable difference.
Commissioned by West Midlands Growth Company. Research by the Live Music Mapping Project and Geographic Data Service.
