Ring and Ride

Ring and Ride is the main door-to-door accessible transport service operating throughout urban parts of the West Midlands. It has been running for 30 years and is one of the largest such services in the world.
The service

The service operates from 8am until 11pm - seven days a week - 364 days a year, and is run by the charity West Midlands Special Needs Transport Ltd (WMSNT), which receives funding from Centro.

Generally, to become a registered user of Ring and Ride you must find it difficult or impossible to use conventional public transport and be resident in one of the seven urban districts of the West Midlands.

How the service works

Bookings for journeys can be made by telephone up to two days ahead of travel. Registered users of the service can use advanced booking forms for special events, which enable 12 journeys per calendar year to be booked ahead of the standard two days.

Ring and Ride enables users to get to local destinations in their neighbourhood and up to half a mile into an adjoining area. A limited 'cross-boundary' service enables users to travel beyond the half- mile limit, to anywhere in operating areas adjoining their own.

Ring and Ride also links up with other passenger transport services including local trains, Metro and the cross-boundary buses of other Ring and Ride operating areas. This enables journeys to be completed from door- to-door across the West Midlands. When travelling, users can take a companion with them provided they are booked in advance. Users may also take dependent children with them.

The service uses minibuses with ramps or lifts, so that people who use wheelchairs or find steps very difficult can easily use the bus.

Travelling to hospital appointments

Ring and Ride is unable to take people to hospital appointments because the National Health Service Act states that people are entitled to access NHS Patient Transport Services in accordance with their eligibility criteria. Contact your doctor or local hospital for details of these services.

Ring and Ride can transport people registered with the service to visit people in hospital and can take companions who are registered and wish to accompany people at their hospital appointments. Ring and Ride can also transport companions who are not registered with the service provided they are travelling with a registered person, but they need to inform the booking line if this is the case.

Fares

A fare of 60p per single trip is charged. Network West Midlands nnetwork and nbus passes can be used too. Companions who are not registered users pay a fare equivalent to those charged on the local bus services. Children aged under five travel free, and five to16-year-olds pay 30p per single trip.

Further information

Information is available on audio tape, large print and printed leaflets in English and community languages.

Visit the Ring and Ride website

For further information contact your local area office responsible for Ring and Ride services in your area.

Coventry
Karen King
District Manager
Unit 11 Henley Industrial Estate
Henley Road
Coventry
CV2 1ST
02476 602177
coventry@ringandride.org

Dudley
Sue Cozens
District Manager
Unit 2 Western Way Industrial Park
Off Western Way
Wednesbury
WS10 7HQ
0121 505 7316
dudley@ringandride.org

East Birmingham/Solihull
Paul Lakin
District Manager
Unit 21 Elmdon Trading Estate
Bickenhill Lane
Birmingham
B37 7HE
0121 782 9317
solihull@ringandride.org

North Birmingham
Jean Webb
District Manager
North Birmingham/Park Road Depot
Upper Thomas Street
Aston Birmingham
B6 5PL
0121 326 7860
north@ringandride.org

Sandwell
Sue Cozens
District Manager
Unit 2 Western Way Industrial Park
Off Western Way
Wednesbury
WS10 7HQ
0121 505 7316
Sandwell@ringandride.org

South Birmingham
Jim Maguire
District Manager
Unit 2 Arden Road Business Park
Arden Road
Frankley
Birmingham B45 0JA
0121 453 9382
south@ringandride.org

Walsall
Mick Mew
District Manager
Croxstalls Road
Bloxwich
Walsall
WS3 2XU
01922 402232
walsall@ringandride.org

Wolverhampton
Duncan Ashlee
District Manager
Poole Street
Wolverhampton
WV2 4HN
01902 425788
wolverhampton@ringandride.org

Community Transport

There are community transport operators in all seven districts of the West Midlands. The operators listed below offer minibus/wheelchair accessible vehicles for hire to community groups in their area, such as scouts or brownies, youth or senior citizens clubs, disabled groups, and sheltered housing developments. Operators continue to work with Centro on regeneration projects that are helping to improve access for communities to health, education, leisure and employment.

Because community transport operators are non-profit making, charges for its services are usually much less than those made by typical commercial providers. Most community transport projects have specially adapted minibuses to accommodate people with mobility difficulties including wheelchair users, and it is sometimes possible to provide groups with a volunteer driver. Some community transport providers offer training opportunities and demand responsive transport services in their local area.

Community transport providers are:

Community Transport Birmingham
Unit 3a Garrison Freight Terminal, Garrison Street, Bordesley, Birmingham B9 4BN
Telephone 0845 209 0190
Fax 01217711520
Email: wms.passengerservices@communitytransport.org

Visit the Community Transport website

Shencare Community Transport
The Cabin, Welches Close, Northfield, Birmingham B31 2XT
Telephone 0121 476 1816
Email shencarevt@yahoo.co.uk
www.shencare.org.uk

Community Transport Coventry
269 Sovereign Road, Earlsdon, Coventry CV5 6LT
Telephone 0845 209 0190
Fax 02476 674482
Email wms.passengerservices@communitytransport.org

Visit the Community Transport website

Community Transport Dudley
Units 3 and 4 Central Park, Halesowen Road, Netherton, Dudley DY2 9NW
Telephone 0845 209 0191
Fax 01384 564512
Email bc.passengerservices@communitytransport.org

Visit the Community Transport website

Community Transport Sandwell
216 Great Bridge Street, Great Bridge, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 0DE
Telephone 0845 209 0191
Fax 0121 520 8361
Email bc.passengerservices@communitytransport.org

Visit the Community Transport website

Community Transport Solihull
94 Bell Lane, Marston Green, Birmingham B33 0HX
Telephone 0845 209 0190
Email: wms.passengerservices@communitytransport.org

Visit the Community Transport website

Walsall Community Transport
The Old Dairy, Pelsall Lane, Little Bloxwich, Walsall, West Midlands WS3 3DH
Telephone 01922 685555
Fax 01922 693805
Email enquiries@walsallct.org.uk

Shopper buses operate in the Bloxwich and Barr Beacon areas to local supermarkets three days a week. They are provided primarily for the benefit of older and less mobile individuals and passengers must register and book travel in advance.

Community Transport Wolverhampton
Telephone 0845 209 0191 - Minibus
Email bc.passengerservices@communitytransport.org

Visit the Community Transport website

www.a2binfo.net provides information on all community transport resources available in your area.