On Sunday the 24th of February this year, Wythall was graced with a brand new bus service, taking over from Diamond. This was due to a bad reputation in Redditch with road closures, water pipes bursting and even bus fires. Diamond still operate in Redditch, despite scoring the lowest for ‘overall satisfaction with bus journey’ with just 26 per cent of users giving the service the thumbs up, however the S3 bus route was axed. Also, the 145 from Droitwich to Longbridge could be soon to go.
After Diamond's departure local residents were left in fear that there would not be a bus route to travel to Solihull however LandFlight saw this as a business opportunity. Once fully for airport transfers, LandFlight proposed a number of bus services around the region where the S3 was renamed to the A4.
The A4 covers the same route as the S3 however I believe the quality of the journey has increased dramatically. First of all, their buses are the only local ones with seat-belts. This ensures safety for small children and the elderly. Also the Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 MMC buses are brand new and give off low emissions which provides a cleaner feel than Diamond or even National Express West Midlands buses. Also, he new buses meet the Euro 6 emission standards and also comply with the Solihull Advanced Quality Partnership Scheme, a series of stringent rules which will govern bus usage in the town that come into force in January 2020 which is always positive to know.
The buses also have more friendly drivers than many buses. I caught a number of buses to Rubery last week and I was overwhelmingly surprised by the kindness of the LandFlight driver. I was running late and the bus was there, I came out of my house and started running but I didn't need to as the considerate driver waited for me. After undergoing a hellish journey with a 49 driver, who even refused to stop at the right stop for me, I was reunited with the nice gentleman who drove the A4 for me in the morning. He elected to help me out and stop outside my house which was very kind of him.
Furthermore, the buses have very cheap rates for what you get. Both the old Diamond buses and LandFlight have the pricing of £4.20 for an adult day ticket however LandFlight offer a ticket which enables you access to all buses operated on behalf of Transport for West Midlands. Once I even caught a Diamond bus, the 19, with a LandFlight ticket. Also a family of up to 5 can hop on any bus in the Midlands for 24 hours for only £8.70. This is great as unlike previously, you can get every bus without paying extra or having to walk.
To conclude, LandFlight are sensational. Their drivers are always friendly and willing to help and it is a great overall service. I was astounded as I could not find any negatives with the quality of this service and it provides great links to not just explore Wythall but beyond as well.
