About the service

What is Ring and Ride?

Ring and Ride is a door-to-door transport service for anyone who lives in the urban areas of the West Midlands who find it difficult or impossible to use normal public transport.

The service is particularly ideal for:

• anyone suffering from a temporary injury (such as a broken leg, a sprain, a sports injury or recovering from an operation);
• young and elderly people who find it physically difficult to use public transport
• disabled people who want the convenience of a door-to-door service.

Where does Ring and Ride operate?

Ring and Ride operates across the West Midlands across the following areas of the West Midlands. Registered users are able to travel within their surrounding area – for example, a passenger living in Erdington can travel anywhere in North Birmingham.

The services does not currently operate in Meriden or the surrounding area.

Who can use Ring and Ride?

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 districts of the West Midlands:

• Birmingham
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

Customers can take a companion and dependent children with them provided they book them in advance. We use minibuses with ramps or lifts, so people who use wheelchairs or find steps difficult can easily use the bus.

Other local authorities may provide a similar service for residents in their area.

What kind of trips can Ring and Ride be used for?

Customers can use the service for the same short journeys they would make on normal public transport such as commuting to and from work, visiting friends, shopping and leisure activities.

Can I use Ring and Ride for hospital appointments?

Ring and Ride is unable to take people to hospital appointments, therefore, for such appointments you should consider using NHS non-emergency patient transport services (PTS). These services provide free transport to and from hospital for people whose condition means they need additional medical support during their journey, people who find it difficult to walk and parents or guardians of children who are being transported. Contact your doctor or local hospital for details of these services.

You can, however, use Ring and Ride if you are visiting people in hospital.

When can I travel?

The Ring and Ride service is available from:

• Monday to Saturday, 8:00am to 11:00pm
• Sunday, 8:00am to 3.30pm

There is no service on bank holiday Mondays and the service may differ over Christmas, New Year and Easter.

When do I need to book?

Journey requests need to be received by 2.30pm on the day prior to your preferred journey. Here is a table to help you with when you will need to book.

Where there is a bank holiday Monday please book on the Saturday for travel on Tuesday. For any other bank holiday, details of the booking window will be made available onboard vehicles and online.

How much does Ring and Ride cost?

Registered user (Age 16+) and Essential Escort/Carer

• Monday to Saturday daytime (before 7pm) - £1.30 single
• Monday to Saturday evening (after 7pm) – £2.40 single
• All day Sunday - £2.20 single

Registered user (Age 5-15)

• Monday to Saturday daytime (before 7pm) - £0.65 single
• Monday to Saturday evening (after 7pm) – £1.20 single
• All day Sunday - £1.10 single

Non-registered users (travelling with a registered user)

• Adults - £2.40 single
• Children under 16 - £1.20
• Children under 5 travel free.

(n) network and (n) bus passes are valid on Ring and Ride services.