West Midlands One Livery for All

Change seems to be afoot in the West Midlands as the Metro has decided to standardise bus liveries of the various operators in the area. Personally I think these sort of political gestures are just that and a waste of time and money when done on their own without other improvements. It's a bit like calling the River Severn something else so that it will no long flood.  They say it prevents confusion but I argue that it is the other way around as many people now know which is their bus simply by the livery without looking to see where it's going. Naturally they will be wearing National Express West Midlands current two tone red colour but had it been a truly democratic decision they might have picked something else, but I only say this as the idea of West Midlands having to paint  all it's hundreds of buses in the thirteen Banga Bus blue and yellow made me smile imagining their shocked faces. I can't say I will miss the colours of Thandi though like this Dennis Dart seen in Walsall. I wonder if this will affect Arriva too and other operators who nip into the area like Select.