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Service 44: Timetable Changes

31^st October 1987

Worcester Citibus Network changesShow All

On Saturday 31^st October 1987, Midland Red West Limited extend their Worcester Citibus network to include Droitwich Spa, and introduce service revisions on most existing Worcester Citibus routes and certain Country and “Midland Express” routes in Worcester, Droitwich Spa, and Malvern areas.

• Sunday workings of Warndon Citibus Service 34 (clockwise circular) and Service 37 (anti-clockwise circular) are re-routed to omit Lansdowne Road, running direct via Lowesmoor. These journeys are renumbered to new Worcester Citibus Service 44 and Service 47 respectively.

18^th April 2004

Network changesShow All

On Sunday 18^th April 2004, First Midland Red Buses Limited introduced a large number of changes to their bus services in Worcestershire. These are a result of both efficiencies introduced by the company and by changes to Worcestershire County Council subsidy strategy.

• Worcestershire County Council contract to operate evening Service 46 and Service 46A between Worcester, Great Malvern and Belmont passes from First Midland Red Buses Limited to Astons Coaches under re-tendering. These journeys are cut back to run only between Worcester and Great Malvern and operate as Service 44.

5^th July 2004

Worcester “Overground” Network LaunchedShow All

On Monday 5^th July 2004, First Midland Red Buses Limited re-brand their local service in Worcester City as the new Worcester “Overground” network.

• Service 44 between Worcester, Powick, Malvern Link and Great Malvern is re-branding as “Red Line” as part of the new Worcester “Overground” network.

4^th September 2005

Network changesShow All

On Sunday 4^th September 2005, First Midland Red Buses Limited introduced a number of significant changes across all of their operating area. Many of these are the result of changes to contracts issued by Worcestershire County Council and include the launch of “Worcester Express” network to expand and replace the Worcester North Park+Ride Services, and the withdrawal of Malvern area “FlexiLINK” and “EasyLINK” services.

• Service 44 is extending past County Hall to Worcestershire Royal Hospital. The service now runs direct between Red Hill and County Hall, with Baynham Estate no longer served. This extension is partly funded by Worcestershire County Council to improve links between Malvern and the hospital.

27^th February 2007

Network changesShow All

• Worcestershire County Council contract to operate evening journeys on Service 44 is passed to First Midland Red Buses Limited (previously operated by Astons Coaches).

1^st September 2009

Worcester area network changesShow All

• The County Hall to Worcestershire Royal Hospital section of Service 44 is withdrawn.

15^th October 2017

Network changesShow All

On Sunday 15^th October 2017, First Midland Red Buses Limited revise most of their services, with minor changes in the Worcester City Area and on Service 144 and Service 144A, and a new network of services for Pershore and Evesham areas, and for Malvern area.

• New Service X43 and Service X44 are introduced between Worcester and Great Malvern, runing via Bromwich Road and omitting Malvern Retail Park. Service X43 runs via Malvern Vale and Belmont every 30-minutes and replaces certain Service 44A journeys, while Service X44 runs via Pound Bank and Barnards Green at peak-times only as a direct alternative to Service 44.
• Certain Service 44 journeys are extended past County Hall to Worcestershire Royal Hospital. All Service 44C journeys are withdrawn and replaced by additional Service 44 journeys, with a 15-minute frequency during the daytime (Service 44 and Service 44C had a combined frequency of evrey 10-minutes).

16^th April 2018

Route changesShow All

• Service 43S and Service 44S are introduced as a variations to Service 43 and Service 44, running via Battenhall Road, Timberdine Avenue, and Bath Road, on schooldays only.

1^st May 2022

Major Service CutsShow All

To quote the First Worcester website... “The covid pandemic has had a significant impact on bus patronage nationally, our habits and way-of-life have changed immeasurably. We're making changes to our services in accordance with how and when people are travelling across the working week and at weekends.”

• All Sunday journeys on Service 44 are withdrawn, and the Monday to Friday and Saturday times are change to make the last full journey from Worcester to Malvern now 17:30, with one short-working journey as far as Malvern Link Retail Park at 18:00.