WORCESTERSHIRE’S second ‘on demand’ bus service has launched in Malvern following the success of a pilot in Bromsgrove.
The Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) scheme allow passengers to book journeys on demand via an app or over the phone.
Malvern has two DRT buses, operated by Malvern Community Action in collaborating with Worcester Wheels and LMS Travel which passengers can book to travel to points of interest such as Malvern Hospital and Malvern train stations.
The buses will run from 7am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday and passengers will have to pay a flat fare of £2.50 per person for all journeys with additional passengers paying £1.25.
When a passenger books a journey they will select a pick up and drop off location before being directed to a ‘virtual bus stop’ for pick up.
The service is funded by Worcestershire County Council (WCC) and Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) and will initially focus on South Malvern Hills in Upton and Kempsey.
Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet Member with responsibility for highways and transport at WCC said: “It’s fantastic that we’re launching the second on-demand bus service in Worcestershire following the success of the
“pilot service in Bromsgrove.
“We’re confident the buses will be well used in Malvern as they provide a sustainable and efficient service in a rural setting.
“We want to make public transport more attractive to our residents and demand responsive transport is the way forward and we hope to extend the service to other areas in the future.”
Councillor Tom Wells, Leader of MHDC added: “I am confident that this new service will prove to be extremely popular with our residents in the Upton area and I am keen that we role the project out to other parts of the district.”
The ‘On Demand’ app can be downloaded via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Those unable to book via the app can contact Worcestershire Hub on 01905 765 765 and choose option 8/9 for assistance.
Ticket bundles are available and concessionary cards will be accepted.
The service launched in Bromsgrove in July 2021 and has completed 1,250 journeys on average every month for the past few months.
