A Touch of Class

Virtually all evening bus services in Redditch were withdrawn a number of years ago following vehicle vandalism and driver assaults. Since then Worcestershire County Council have been looking at options to improve bus provision in Redditch. In 2003 the County Council successfully won Urban Bus Challenge funding from the Department for Transport. The funding is based around improving access to the Alexandra Hospital from as much of the town as possible. Funding has helped First purchase new low floor Enviro 300 single deck vehicles. For evening provision the Council decided to look to a taxi operator and have created a three vehicle Taxibus service giving a 20-minute frequency on the service 51 to/from Batchley which is linked to a similar 20-minute frequency on the 55/56 routes. The latter routes also serve the Alexandra Hospital. The service is operated by a taxi operator "A touch of class" who acquired brand new 7-seater minibuses for the services. The contract for the evening services to Crabbs Cross and Batchley now numbered 55A and 56A passed to Diamond Bus on 12th April 2009