Changes on the way for Ring and Ride accessible transport service

Ring and Ride service

Transport leaders have agreed proposals to ensure Greater Manchester’s Ring and Ride service continues to provide accessible transport for those who need it the most.

The changes follow a review of the service by the Ring and Ride operator Greater Manchester Accessible Transport Limited and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

Ring and Ride provides door-to-door accessible transport for people of all ages who find it difficult to use ordinary public transport.

A meeting of the TfGM Committee heard the service review had taken into account an aging population and increased demand to travel, improved access to the general transport network and reduced funding (due to national cuts to local authority spending).

To ensure the people who need to use Ring and Ride the most continue to benefit, the eligibility criteria will be changed from Monday 4 April.

Eligible users will include holders of a Greater Manchester Concessionary Plus or Disabled Pass, who will have undergone an assessment process to demonstrate a difficulty in using the public transport network. Also eligible will be people aged over 70 years old who have mobility issues and hold a Greater Manchester Over 60 Concessionary Pass.

The Ring and Ride fares and fare structure will also be revised, with no changes having been made to the single fare since 2011, almost five years ago.

All Ring and Ride users will be contacted in plenty of time to inform them of the changes, and to offer assistance to anyone needing to apply for a concessionary pass or find alternative transport solutions.

While the service changes for Ring and Ride are due to come into effect on Monday 4 April 2016, there will be a three month period to allow Over 60 Concessionary Pass holders who will turn 70 between 4 April and 30 June 2016 to continue to travel while they are still 69 years old.

Anyone who wants to find out more about the changes can contact Ring and Ride on 0161 200 6011. Information about Ring and Ride services is also available at www.tfgm.com/ringandride.

Changes from Monday 4 April 2016 - Eligibility criteria

Greater Manchester residents will be eligible to use the service if they:

(i) hold a Greater Manchester issued Concessionary Plus Pass*; or
(ii) hold a Concessionary Disabled Pass; and/or
(iii) meet a minimum age criteria (70), hold a Transport for Greater Manchester Over 60 Concessionary Pass and also have difficulty accessing the public transport network; or
(iv) have surrendered their Concessionary Plus Pass and use travel vouchers.

* A Concessionary Plus Pass enables the holder to access free travel on buses, local trains and Metrolink trams in Greater Manchester. You are able to get a Concessionary Plus pass if you: are registered blind; are profoundly deaf and cannot speak or have limited speech that is difficult to understand; or have learning disabilities; cannot use both of your arms; cannot talk; are an ex-serviceman or ex-servicewoman with serious walking difficulties as a result of losing a leg; or would be refused a driving licence as a result of severe and long-term mental-health problems.

The fare changes aim to protect the most vulnerable service users. For example: 

• Concessionary Plus Pass Holders will still travel for free. The largest price increase (£1) is proposed for full fare paying passengers who are permitted to travel when accompanying an eligible registered service user. This would mitigate the risk that full fare passengers use the service as a cheaper alternative to the conventional bus network.
• Accompanying Passengers - An eligible Ring & Ride service user will be limited to travelling with one carer, unless they can demonstrate a requirement for two carers.
• Group Bookings - Advance group bookings will continue to be accepted for six people or more, meaning groups of this size will be able to make bookings for a three month period rather than having to re-book on a weekly basis. This reduces pressures on the call centre and enables efficient scheduling. From 4 April 2016 smaller groups’ requests will be handled in the same way as individual service users.