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The ring and ride.

G G Jean

G G Jean

Brummy Wench.
:)I hope there is not another thread on the above but I wondered if anyone has ever used this service?.:) Jean.
 
Jean, I haven't personally, but our nan used it regularly every week until a few weeks before she died, going from Court Lane, Erdington into "the Village" as she referred to High St Erdington and swore by it - the driver collected her at the bottom of her drive and dropped her by the Wilton Market and picked up on Barnabas Rd. She made some good friends on her route and knew most of the drivers too. Her only complaint as it became more popular was how early she had to book it.
Sue
 
Sue my mom used it to visit us family and various day centres when she was alive. It enabled her to visit me during the day when Pete was at work. As it became more popular they could not say for sure what time they would pick her up but it was almost the time she booked. I still see the bus come past our house and wish my mom was still on it. Jean.
 
My wife uses it every weekday to go to her dads near Handsworth Cementery , they collect her at 8.00 to 8.15 and gets collected in the afternoon between 5.00 and 5.30. Very good service, almost a free taxi service. As its a charity and provides a service for people with mobility problems I think you have to get forms filled in by your GP. No good me asking my wife for you as she has no memory.
 
Morning All. Al and I have used the Ring and Ride [[Monday] to take us to Perry Centre, Dovedale Road and it was almost having our own special Taxi. Driver arrived at 10 and collected us at 1.30. Excellant, I thought. We will be using it more often now, but it dosen't go to Lichfield or Tamworth, Coleshill; but it will take us to Birmingham and that will good. I had to book two days in advance and that is the only problem I have found. Miriam.
 
That is the only problem Miriam the two day advance booking.They seem to be busy all day,I know my wife takes ages to get through to them on the phone to book her trips as I think they only take bookings between 9 and 10.Still in almost three years she has only been let down when the weather was bad earlier this year.
 
:(Mike that was the problem when mom was alive I used to be ringing for ages before getting through but it is a life line to the outside world for a lot of people.:) So glad you are getting out and about more thanks to the ring and ride Miriam and don't forget our date when you have got rid of that bad cold.;);) Jean.
 
Yes I used a ring and ride service from Felixstowe which is about 6 miles away use it most weeks for shopping.
They use Mini Buses and private cars.

I use one particular driver every time who drives the latest Volvo Estate, he picks me up at my gate, helps me put the bags in back of the car and on return he offers to carry the bags with me to the door.
He takes me to the bank cost £4.80 (Taxi £ 12.00) Local Supermarket Sainsbury's £3.40 ( Taxi £8.00, Bus £3.60) most times he waits while I shop can be up to an hour unless he has another job to do.
They have a service from Ipswich but you have to get Doctors notes to use it and its dearer.

Two weeks ago they rang me and said the cost would be going up by 10p a mile but as I was a regular my cost would stay at usual rate.
 
That sounds great Alf. Moms regular driver had dreadlocks and he became so much of a friend that he came to her eightieth birthday party. My friend was a driver for them for years till she went to live in Spain loved the job and the people who used the service. Jean.
 
My driver is a retired hospital worker name of Paul and I do have to ring two days in advance, whats two days I'm not going anywhere:D
 
Thanks for the information, Mike, I didn't know that bookings are only taken between 9 and 10. I have to ask 'them' how long we can have out before 'they' pick one up. :D - is it just 4 hours, does anyone know? Miriam.
 
G G Jean said:
That sounds great Alf. Moms regular driver had dreadlocks and he became so much of a friend that he came to her eightieth birthday party. My friend was a driver for them for years till she went to live in Spain loved the job and the people who used the service. Jean.
Click to expand...

I think that guy still drives for the North Side service, my wife very often has him as the driver,pulls up and holds his hand on the horn then when he sees her on the drive, opens the door,jumps out and helps her aboard.All very nice people the drivers and they must have a lot to put up with. Patience of Job needed in that job.:0314::0314::0314:
 
Great service Alf and as you say "what is two days"?. They were thinking of scrapping the service a few years ago and Pete and myself went to a protest meeting to keep it. As I have said it is a life line to the outside world for an awful lot of people. Might be using it ourselves in the near future as you never know what life throws at you. Jean.
 
Too True, Jean. I am pleased it wasn't scrapped - it will be super when Al is stopped driving - the DVLA are sorting him out. Miriam.
 
Al Banner said:
Thanks for the information, Mike, I didn't know that bookings are only taken between 9 and 10. I have to ask 'them' how long we can have out before 'they' pick one up. :D - is it just 4 hours, does anyone know? Miriam.
Click to expand...

That is what my wife tells me Miriam, seems the phones are not manned all the while after 10. We had to cancel a couple of weeks ago as her dad was taken into hospital and ringing at midday I just let the phone ring and had it on loudspeaker until it got answered,all in all it took an hour to be answered. It might be that she was told the best time to ring is between 9 and 10 .
 
Thanks Mike - will tell you if I find it differs from your information. Course we don't know if this Ring and Ride will be listed in the cuts Miriam.
 
hello .we have a service here,it is called drws y drws.(door to door).I used the bham ring and ride of a sundays to get to shard end from
garretts green fantastic service. and a mistery tour thrown in.lol
 
Our service is manned by volunteers 10am till 2pm it is a charity the driver always turns up on time. If you find time raise some money for them they are worth their weight in Gold, I find sending them some Coffee Tea and Sugar helps.:)
 
Alf another time this same driver picked mom up from a family party and they made him a doggy bag up. I still see him driving past so he has been with them for years. Jean.
 
The Birmingham ring and ride is a charity yes, but it does not use volunteer staff they are all proffessionals, The recent cuts will affect the company as the main contributer of cash is Centro
and they are cutting back 15% this year I copied following text from Centro website
FUNDING
As a Council Tax payer, some of your contributions go towards funding the work that Centro carries out. Centro is also able to raise revenue from the Government, as well as the European Community through various grants and also receives income from the private sector.

That shows were Centro get the cash they give the Ring and ride. The cuts may affect service.
 
Bad news all round this last two days.

Our ring and ride have had to put the prices my driver Paul told me that the part funding will stop from the council if they can't put up their prices.

So mine has now more than doubled from £6.40 last week to £12.45 this week.

Today. my Son has a discount Bus train ticket run by the same council call Explorer its mainly for teenagers and that will now stop altogether on the 31st March.

Why are councils picking on the elderly & the young all of a sudden and still not looking at the sky high salaries of the councillors. More to the point why isn't the government doing something about it.
 
My mother-in-law uses the service. There is talk of a charge of 60p to £1 per journey.

She loves her trips out and has made many friends who use this service. The drivers collect her from the door and on the way back make sure she and her shopping are safely inside the house.

It's worth £2 to have the shopping carried
 
Ours is 58p per mile from 30p. Still worth it as I don't drive now. I'm not complaining about the rise just the people it effects the elderly.
 
60p per journey for pass holders from 1st of April 2011, thats £1-20 there and back. Its a shame they have to start charging, but for many people this service is a lifeline.
it seems the majority of passengers when questioned prefered the payment to a reduction in service. I have just had my council rates bill "Community charge" and it has not gone up a lot on last year.
 
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