THE hopper bus service between the Alexandra Hospital and Worcestershire Royal is to continue until at least June 16.
The service, which was originally on a three month trial, was extended into May and now will continue until mid-June.
However health chiefs are changing the timetable for the bus with it now leaving the Alex every 90 minutes starting at 7.30am and continuing throughout the day, with no break at lunchtime, with the last bus leaving the Woodrow Drive hospital at 4.30pm.
Previously the service had run on an hourly basis however it is understood the changes have been made to reflect usage by the public, patients and staff.
One Redditch man, Paul McKiernan, described the service as a ‘lifeline’ after his wife fell is and is urging others to make use of it.
“My wife was taken to the Alex on April 18 and was immediately transferred to Worcester. I went with her and had to stop over night,” said Mr McKiernan, from Smallwood.
“It was only the following morning that I thought ‘how on earth am going to get back home?’”
It was then that the hopper bus came to his rescue, and it was a service he used for a month while his wife recovered, however he was astonished at how few people were using it.
“I was catching the 10.30am from the Alex and returning on the 1.30pm from the Royal and for much of the time I was only person on board, yet everyone who did use it said how wonderful it was.
“People didn’t seem to know that the service was still running, even the hospital staff.”
Return journeys from Worcestershire Royal Hospital will commence at 8.15am and then every 90 minutes with the last bus leaving at 5.15pm.
