VILLAGERS were so on board with an on demand minibus service in Norton Lindsay – that it is being rolled out across the county.
The Digital Demand Responsive Transport minibus service – called IndieGo PLUS – was introduced to the village as a pilot in May 2023. The village was previously only served by one bus each week which took passengers to Solihull and back.
And the pilot had such a high take-up that Warwickshire County Council has decided to extend the scheme.
The new IndieGo PLUS service allows residents to book journeys to and from over 250 locations including Warwick town, both Warwick Parkway and town stations, the bus station, Warwick Hospital, and a wide range of shopping and leisure spots.
The service is available from 6am to 7.30pm, Monday to Saturday, with bookings either made by a dedicated app or by contacting a call centre.
The service is part of the national £2 Single Fare cap, meaning those using it won’t pay any more than £2 for a single journey or £4 for a return journey.
The branded vehicles all have a dedicated wheelchair/mobility scooter space.
WCC transport spokesperson Coun Jan Matecki said: “The pilot IndieGo PLUS service, backed by significant funding from central government, allows us and them to evaluate how a DDRT service could fit into the wider public transport system and improve access to and from rural areas previously served by little or infrequent bus services.
“Following a discussion at a Parish Council meeting I approached officers to see if Norton Lindsey could be included in the service area. A full evaluation was carried out and we were very pleased to be able to take part. We welcome any such requests and will investigate them fully to see if they can be accommodated.”
For more information visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/indiegoplus
