Warwickshire village which only had one bus a week has regular service restored

The pilot of an on-demand minibus service in Warwick District has proved popular with residents, and high take up has resulted in the scheme being extended by Warwickshire County Council.

The Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT) minibus service, called IndieGo PLUS, was introduced to the village of Norton Lindsey as a pilot in May 2023.

The village was previously only served by one bus each week which took passengers to Solihull and back.

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 app is available 24/7 and bookings can be made up to 14 days in advance, or as close as 30 minutes to departure, depending on availability. The call centre is open 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

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. Concessionary passes are accepted in line with the standard terms and conditions, but bookings still need to be made to secure a seat.

The branded vehicles all have a dedicated wheelchair/mobility scooter space, accessible via a ramp, and feature free Wi-Fi and USB charging points.

Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for transport and planning, 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.

"The take-up so far has been significant, but there are ongoing operational challenges with this type of service that we continue to monitor.

“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.

“In practical terms, as far as customers accessing the service, it is available via an app, in line with our digital strategy.

"I am, however, really pleased that a call centre service will be offered throughout the week to offer full support to those for whom the app is not the best option.”

More details on the service can be found by going to www.warwickshire.gov.uk/indiegoplus, and the app can be downloaded for free from either the Google Play Store, or the iOS Store.

The call centre can be contacted on 01926 895559.