THE COUNTY’s On Demand Bus service is set to expand to multiple north east Bromsgrove villages this summer.
Worcestershire’s Innovative ‘Demand Responsive Transport’ service will soon travel to Wythall, Alvechurch, Stoke Pound and Stoke Prior.
Currently the service links rural areas around Bromsgrove with the town centre, bus, and railway stations.
‘Worcestershire on Demand” provides bus transport on request rather than using fixed routes and timetables and has racked up over 65,000 completed trips in the Bromsgrove area since Worcestershire County Council launched the service three years ago.
This latest expansion follows the success of the existing services in Bromsgrove and Malvern.
Journeys can also be made to destinations outside of the expansion zones including Abbey Stadium, The Jinny Ring Craft Centre and the Clent Hills.
Coun Marc Bayliss, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for highways and transport, said he was delighted the operating area was being extended.
“On demand transport creates an inclusive, responsible, and adaptive transport network. It makes travel accessible to the whole community, and offers an innovative, sustainable, and efficient way of getting around.”
Through the service, passengers request a journey through the Worcestershire on Demand app and are collected within a few metres of their location.
The service has 13-seat buses, which are fully accessible and journeys are shared with other passengers.
The pick- up may involve a short walk to maximise route efficiency, eliminate lengthy detours, and replicate journey times to that of the private car.
On Demand Buses run from 7am until 7pm Monday to Saturday.
There is a flat fare of £2.50 for journeys per person, with additional passengers paying £1.25, and concessionary cards are accepted after 9.30am.
As part of the launch, new riders will get their first journey free of charge.
The service is supported by the Worcestershire Bus Service Improvement Plan and the Department for Transport.
Visit worcestershire.gov.uk/ for more information.
