The New Year will see public transport revolutionised in Ironbridge Gorge, thanks to a new initiative by Telford & Wrekin Council’s award-winning transport team.
Demand responsive transport or ‘DRT’ is a flexible service that will be available to residents and visitors around the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, offering a more convenient and efficient way to get around.
The service is set to launch in early 2025 but this Tuesday, there is a chance for a preview at a drop-in event between 10.30am and 1pm. People will have an opportunity to learn about the service, view one of the vehicles, get a demonstration of the app and raise any questions.
The new service will work via an app and users are presented with the best travel option for their journey including whether to use the on-demand service or existing public bus routes, depending on the user’s location and destination.
Pick-up and drop-off locations are tailored to customer’s preference ensuring people with mobility issues will no longer have to walk to the nearest bus stop and if passengers need to travel from the gorge, destinations currently available include Madeley and the town centre.
Initially, the service will operate Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 5.30pm and will be reviewed again ahead of the busier summer months. If successful, the council hopes the format could be used elsewhere in Telford and Wrekin.
Councillor Ollie Vickers, (Lab) Cabinet Member for the Economy said: “This is a very exciting pilot that will change the way we access public transport with a flexible, easy-to-use and customised travel solution for people around the Ironbridge Gorge area.”
This service will allow users to book journeys tailored to their specific needs, helping to improve local mobility and connectivity. More detailed information will be available closer to the official launch in 2025.”
The app is called ‘Travel Telford OnDemand’ is available for download from the Apple app store and Google Play.
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