Latest news with #RingAndRide
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Change to service could help slash 'astronomical' transport bills for West Midlands councils
Calls have been made for a lifeline service to be used to help West Midlands councils reduce "astronomical" transport bills they face every year. Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority's Transport Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed proposals for transforming the region's Ring & Ride service. This includes moving to a new operating model and increasing fares for the first time since April 2017. READ MORE: Major change to the price of bus passes and fares coming in the West Midlands - this is when But committee member Councillor Robert Alden said one way of providing a more comprehensive Ring and Ride service would be for it to pick up some Home to School Transport trips. As well as boosting the service, he said it would also ease the financial burden faced by local authorities across the West Midlands. Demand for Ring and Ride services is growing steadily with figures showing 2,487 unique customers have taken a trip in the last six months. Bosses said the last week of March was the busiest since the start of 2020 when the service was hit by Covid-19. The authority still provides a subsidy of £6.467 million per year to run the service but this is a far cry from 2010/11 when its budget was around £12 million. A report to the committee said fare income brings in around £250,000 per year and this is reinvested into the service. Are car headlights too bright? Councillor Alden said: "All of our councils have huge Home to School Transport bills that place significant financial pressures and cost astronomical amounts. "There must be a way to operate this service that also picks up some of that Home To School Transport services across the region so there can be cross subsidisation. "Councils can make a saving on their budget and can also help underpin the finances of Ring and Ride and allow for a more comprehensive service across the region that helps everyone." Catherine Moore, Ring & Ride and Demand Responsive Transport Manager, said: "We have explored this. "We will continue to explore it but the problem is the times don't always work when the Ring and Ride wish to travel and the Home to School Transport children. "We have explored these conversations and we actually feel there might be some benefit from the Community Transport side we could perhaps further develop over the next few years."
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fare increases planned for Ring and Ride buses
Fares for the region's Ring and Ride services are set to increase for the first time in eight years due to cost pressures. Charges for a single trip would rise from £1.30 to £2 if the plans are approved by West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) board later this month. Board members are also expected to award contracts to operators which will guarantee the service for a minimum of five years from 1 December. Demand for Ring and Ride services has grown steadily, according to WMCA figures which show 2,487 people have taken a trip in the last six months. Bosses said the last week of March was the busiest since the start of 2020, when the service was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The authority currently provides a subsidy of nearly £6.5m per year to run the service but this is almost half the figure from 2010/11 when its budget was around £12 million. A WMCA report said income from fares brought in about £250,000 per year and that this was reinvested into the service. Despite rises in inflation, charges have remained the same since April 2017. The fees are much lower than the region's fixed route bus network – which will see fares increased further later this month – which has led to concerns people who do not need Ring and Ride might attempt to switch to it. "Fares are now significantly lower than the standard single bus fares despite the significantly higher level of customer service," the report said. "The current scenario could also potentially drive people who don't need this service to switch to it rather than using fixed route bus. "Without any fares adjustments the service will become increasingly unsustainable and place further pressure on the transport levy." If approved, the new Ring and Ride fare structure would be: £2 – Registered user aged 16+ / essential escort carer (up from £1.30) £1 – Registered user aged 5-15 (up from 65p) £2 – Adult travelling with registered user (down from £2.40) £1 – Child travelling with a registered user (up from 65p) Children under the age of 5 will still travel for free This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Hundreds of jobs saved at Ring and Ride service Strategy to improve bus network could cost £44m 'Ghost buses' and cut services: Passengers complain as bus cap rises WMCA Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fare increases planned for West Midlands Ring and Ride buses
Fares for the region's Ring and Ride services are set to increase for the first time in eight years due to cost for a single trip would rise from £1.30 to £2 if the plans are approved by West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) board later this members are also expected to award contracts to operators which will guarantee the service for a minimum of five years from 1 for Ring and Ride services has grown steadily, according to WMCA figures which show 2,487 people have taken a trip in the last six months. Bosses said the last week of March was the busiest since the start of 2020, when the service was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The authority currently provides a subsidy of nearly £6.5m per year to run the service but this is almost half the figure from 2010/11 when its budget was around £12 million.A WMCA report said income from fares brought in about £250,000 per year and that this was reinvested into the rises in inflation, charges have remained the same since April fees are much lower than the region's fixed route bus network – which will see fares increased further later this month – which has led to concerns people who do not need Ring and Ride might attempt to switch to it."Fares are now significantly lower than the standard single bus fares despite the significantly higher level of customer service," the report said."The current scenario could also potentially drive people who don't need this service to switch to it rather than using fixed route bus."Without any fares adjustments the service will become increasingly unsustainable and place further pressure on the transport levy." If approved, the new Ring and Ride fare structure would be:£2 – Registered user aged 16+ / essential escort carer (up from £1.30)£1 – Registered user aged 5-15 (up from 65p)£2 – Adult travelling with registered user (down from £2.40)£1 – Child travelling with a registered user (up from 65p)Children under the age of 5 will still travel for free This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
