A shortage of drivers has led to a significant dip in the number of people using the vital Ring and Ride service across the West Midlands, new transport data has confirmed.
Service Performance and Driver Challenges
Official statistics presented to the West Midlands Combined Authority's Transport Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Committee showed that 54,498 journeys were completed between July and September 2025. This represents a 2.63 per cent decrease compared to the same quarter in 2024, when 55,971 trips were made.
Claire Williams, the director of network resilience at Transport for West Midlands, directly attributed the decline to operational difficulties. She explained that the reduced performance in the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year was largely due to driver shortages and reduced reliability, compounded by increased road congestion.
Councillor Carol Hyatt supported this analysis, agreeing that driver shortages were to blame and emphasising that 'demand continues to outstrip supply' for the crucial door-to-door transport service.
Major Rebrand and New Operators Mobilised
In a bid to streamline services, major changes came into effect from December 1, 2025. The previous Ring and Ride and Coventry's On Demand services have been unified under a new operation named West Midlands Bus On Demand.
The demand-responsive transport network for Birmingham, Solihull, and Coventry is now operated by Via, while a new contract for the Black Country Ring and Ride service has been awarded to operator HATS.
Claire Williams noted that the transition began with a temporarily reduced capacity as the new operators settled in. However, she outlined significant planned improvements, including:
- The introduction of new fully accessible vehicles.
- A complete service rebrand.
- Service enhancements designed to increase efficiency and eventually grow passenger numbers.
Broader Transport Trends in the Region
The committee report also highlighted trends in other local transport schemes. While the news for Ring and Ride was concerning, it was part of a mixed picture for active travel in the region.
Cycle hire journeys also fell, with 38,849 rentals recorded between July and September 2025—a drop of 3.27 per cent from 40,162 in the same period the year before.
In contrast, e-scooter usage saw a substantial increase of 18.66 per cent, rising from 58,681 journeys in 2024 to 69,629 in 2025. Committee members were informed that improvements to parking locations contributed to this growth. The combined e-bike and e-scooter scheme is currently being re-procured and is expected to relaunch in April.
Despite the recent challenges, transport chiefs remain focused on stabilising the West Midlands Bus On Demand service and using the new operating model to build a more reliable and efficient network for its users.
