THE FIRST community group has benefited from Redditch’s new cheaper community transport fees.
Members of the Christ Church Lunch Club in Matchborough traveled at Redditch Dial A Ride’s new lower prices when the changes came into effect last Thursday.
Redditch Borough Councillors voted to slash journey fees by up to 50 per cent at a meeting last Monday.
The authority’s portfolio holder for community services, Coun Monica Stringfellow, said: “Dial A Ride customers are already benefiting from this change and it was lovely to chat to some of our passengers today and to hear first hand how pleased they are about the reduction.
“I hope many more people and groups will use our highly accessible, great value community transport service to enable their activities too.”
Redditch Borough Council leader, Coun Joe Baker, added: “This council wants to overcome and remove barriers between people and their communities wherever possible.
“That’s a big reason why we have ensured that this service is very affordable for people in Redditch.”
Dial A Ride, which was used for over 17,000 journeys last year, is a door-to-door service for borough residents who cannot use public transport.
It uses modern wheelchair-accessible minibuses with low rise steps for easy access and runs Monday to Friday with first pick-ups from 8.50am and last pick-ups at 4.20pm, except Fridays which are at 4pm.
It regularly visits all the major supermarkets, venues for groups such as Age UK, the Ecumenical Centre and others and the town centre – for which the team can also book customers a Shopmobility scooter or wheelchair for their arrival.
The team can even arrange town centre escorts.
Register for Dial A Ride, which is £15-a-year, by calling 01527 64910.
Dial a Ride now costs £2.50 a journey and £3.50 for medical journeys with a concessionary bus pass or £3.50 without a bus pass and £4.50 for medical journeys.
