redditch dial a ride

Redditch Dial-a-Ride is operated by Redditch Borough Council and has been providing a door-to-door transport service for residents who find it difficult to use conventional public transport for well over 20 years. Operating under community bus permits, the service uses a fleet of accessible tail-lift minibuses to provide essential transport for elderly and disabled passengers throughout the borough. The service Was until recently managed from the Redditch Shopmobility Centre, based on the ground floor of Car Park 3 in Redditch town centre, while the vehicles are garaged at the Council's Crossgate Depot on the Park Farm Industrial Estate. Redditch Shopmobility, which provides wheelchairs and mobility scooters for shoppers visiting the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, was the first scheme of its kind in the United Kingdom and has long been recognised as an important community facility. In September 2014, Dial-a-Ride expanded its operations by taking over the operation of two local bus services on behalf of Worcestershire County Council: Service 53 to Plymouth Road and Service 65 to Abbeydale. To operate these routes, the service acquired an Optare Alero. The Alero, often regarded as the smaller sister to the highly successful Optare Solo, was designed to provide a practical solution for lightly used bus services that required a vehicle larger than a typical minibus but smaller than a full-size single-deck bus. This was not the first occasion on which Redditch Dial-a-Ride had operated a conventional local bus service. Prior to this, the organisation had run Service 52 between Webheath and the Abbey Stadium. Unfortunately, the route attracted insufficient passenger numbers and was withdrawn in September due to poor usage. Today, Redditch Dial-a-Ride continues to play a vital role in providing accessible transport for local residents, complementing the area's conventional bus network by ensuring that those with mobility difficulties can remain independent and connected to the community.