Prioritising Redditch Buses

Good update meeting with First Bus this morning. 

We discussed the evening service on the 57/58 route, taking in my own ward of Greenlands, which has been running since July on Friday and Saturday evenings.  The need for more buses to call in at the Alex Hospital and disabled access.

From First's point of view, they are happy with the levels of passengers using the 57/58 evening service and the safety for their drivers.  The Police have been giving their support, the people who are using the bus in the evening are finding the service tremendously useful and the recent landscaping has been beneficial.  We continue to work together to try and make sure the evening service can continue and even extend. 

People rallied to get this evening service along this route reinstated after Diamond removed their service.  I was delighted First were able to go a long way to answering our calls.  I raised again the fact that people want to see an evening service 7 nights a week to give people better access around the town for work and pleasure.  Not only does it make sense for people using the buses but for the town centre and the wider economy. 

Again I highlighted that if just a couple of buses an hour on the route could call into the hospital it would be extremely beneficial to staff, patients and visitors.  Bus passengers have voiced their concern to me that the County Council funded hopper service, which has already been delayed will not serve enough of the circluar route and that 9.30am until 3.30pm Mon to Fri is not good enough to meet their needs. 

Interesting that despite Worcestershire County Council having cut over £1 million from bus transport this year, equal to 119 bus services, this will be the second small hopper route, yet leaving so much of the town without buses. 

People have mentioned the need for more low floor buses and I have been reassured that 75% of the First fleet in Redditch are low floor access.  I have asked for more details as I want to know that these are fairly distributed, giving the best access possible for disabled bus users around the town.

First listened carefully to the requests and I remain hopeful that by sharing people's travel needs providers can better understand how to improve their service.  I am sure we can continue to improve services in Redditch by working together.