THE long-awaited mini-bus from the government has been delivered to the Tenbury Transport Trust.

It is now having its livery put on and will soon be able to go into service.

The Mercedes Mini Bus, which has been especially adapted to meet the needs of the trust, was first mooted more than two years ago but there have been numerous delays.

However, the bus has now arrived and will provided an important addition to the fleet.

It is hoped that it will enable new services to be provided including a bus link between Tenbury and Ludlow.

This completely changes the outlook for the trust because one of the two buses that it has been operating up until now is coming to the end of its useful life and is becoming increasingly unreliable.

The trust is also expecting, in the near future, to receive at least part of a grant of nearly £100,000 that is due from Tesco as part of the planning agreement that allowed them to build the new store that is almost complete on the former Cattle Market site.

It is a very different situation for the trust to that which faced its chairman John Driver and his team 12 months ago.

At that time, there was no sign of the mini-bus and, with no prospect of Tesco starting work, the outlook was bleak with the trust looking at having to take some serious decisions that would at least have led to a reduction of services.

But now the fog has cleared and the trust is ready to move up a gear.

John Driver has, in particular, praised Tenbury MP Harriett Baldwin who helped apply pressure to the government in order to ensure that the bus was eventually delivered.

She has also pressed Tesco to convert its promise to build a new store in Tenbury into reality.

“Tenbury Transport Trust was successful in its bid for a Department for Transport mini bus,” said John Driver.

“Delivery of the bus, now specially adapted for our purposes, has taken place.

“This is a very exciting moment for our charity and accordingly we have official launch ceremony – attended by our supportive MP Harriett Baldwin.”

The official launch is scheduled for Friday, March 10 on The Burgage in Tenbury.

Both bus services and a car service is operated by the Tenbury Transport Trust in order to fill the gap because of the loss over the past five years of local authority supported routes.

Under its operating licence the buses run by the trust are now allowed to pick up from traditional bus stops but people wanting to use them have to book in advance.

The buses are driven by a team of volunteer drivers and because they are mini-buses a Public Service Driving Licence is not needed although instruction and an assessment is carried out by Worcestershire County Council.

A significant barrier to the expansion of services is a shortage of volunteer car and bus drivers. Anyone interested is asked to contact the trust in Teme Street.