A FREE weekday shuttle bus service between Redditch's Alexandra Hospital and the Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been extended.

The free service aims to give patients, visitors and staff a convenient way to travel between the two hospital sites – whether to get to an appointment or visit friends and relatives in hospital.

The pilot service, launched by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, started on February 1 and was originally due to run until the end of April.

It has now been temporarily extended to Friday, June 16

Speaking at the launch Caragh Merrick, chairman of the trust, said she was delighted the Hospital Hopper pilot was getting off the ground.

“Improving public transport between the Alexandra and Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been a matter of debate for several years," she said.

However, not everyone has been a fan of the shuttle service.

A number of Redditch residents have said it would take them seven and a half hours to do a round trip from their home to the Worcestershire Royal.

There has also been reports of very few people using the bus.

To allay concerns the current timetable has been amended to reflect public, patient and staff usage so far.

The bus will now leave each site at 90 minute intervals instead of hourly, but will run later in the day with no break in service over lunchtime.

Support and demand for the service will be continually evaluated and a decision made as to how it will continue in the future at the end of the pilot period.