Central Connect - Diamond Worcestershire

Diamond Worcestershire

In Early 2013 Red Diamond was rebranded to Diamond Worcestershire.

In a working partnership with Worcestershire County Council, a new fleet of Red Diamond bus services are beginning to operate in Redditch, Worcestershire. These buses are mainly Diamond owned Wright Eclipse/Volvo B7RLE but there have been several re-painted Dennis Darts/Wright DAFs in operation.

From 22 January 2007, Diamond were forced to withdraw their evening services on the 57 and 58 routes in Redditch, which were under contract to Worcestershire County Council, due to persistent vandalism and violence on the routes. The company told the council that they would no longer risk operating in the evenings. A month later on the 25 February 2007, Diamond also withdrew the evening services on route 246 between Redditch and Evesham due to low passenger numbers.

On 8 June 2008, the company introduced 57A and 58A journeys alongside their existing 57 and 58 routes, the new journeys would serve the Alexandra Hospital, after rival company First Midland Red withdrew links to the hospital.

The operations in Redditch were rebranded as Red Diamond in July 2008 to coincide with the launch of 6 new buses, with a livery designed to be similar to what was used on Midland Red buses. By September 2008 a further 6 new buses were in operation, along with 10 older buses in the new livery.

From 31 August 2008, Diamond Bus stepped up their operation of commercial and non-commercial services in Redditch significantly, to the point where they operated more buses in Redditch than main rival First.

In February 2009, Red Diamond won Worcestershire County Council contracts to operate a number of services around Droitwich and Redditch starting in April 2009, these are routes 19 to Meadows Estate, 20 to Westlands, 20A to New Chawston, 137 to Dunhampstead, 140/141 to Bromsgrove and 157 to The Ridings. In addition to this, extra daytime journeys are to be provided on Redditch services 50, 64 and 70. The company will also once again operate evening services in Redditch on routes 55A, 56A, 57 and 58. Service 64 between Bromsgrove and Birmingham will also be renumbered to 144 and re-routed to follow the same numbered service operated by First. Droitwich residents were unhappy about the changes, showing concern about losing the known and respected drivers from the local routes, however, Diamond Bus entered into an agreement with the former operator of the routes, allowing them to continue operating with the same drivers, while Diamond Bus provide the buses and uniforms.

In 2010, amid much criticism of the poor performance of the existing buses from Worcestershire County Council and passengers, Diamond brought 9 MCV Evolutions for services 362, 363 and 382.

In late 2012 Red Diamond bought Kidderminster and Redditch Bus depots from First and re-branded to Diamond Worcestershire. Some buses are still in first Livery but with diamond logo on front and some are now in their new Blue Diamond Worcestershire livery; they are currenly running all sevices that First ran in these areas and to the same timetable.