A vital ring and ride bus service for thousands of Black Country people has been reinstated after being ditched two years ago through lack of funding.

The charity bus service carries out two million trips a year in the Midlands for 75,000 users, including residents with mobility problems.

It was forced to stop its cross-boundary services in 2007, leaving many unable to travel outside their home towns.

West Midlands Special Needs Transport has now been able to relaunch the service after striking a deal with Centro and it is now up and running.

The new business plan funding is guaranteed for three years, meaning users will be able to travel between towns like Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Coventry.

Anyone who has a Centro disability and senior citizen pass can use it for free.

Chairman Peter Maggs said: “The cross-boundary service was originally set up to help people visit friends and relatives in hospital, which they were unable to do because they could not use ordinary buses and the ring and ride service which focuses on local trips was unable to help.

“Its full reinstatement will provide a vital service for thousands of people.”

Walsall grandmother Eileen Moseley, aged 60, has mobility problems and says the reinstatement of the cross boundary service will be life-changing.

He said: “It gives me my independence. It means if I want to go somewhere like Birmingham or Wolverhampton next weekend, I can phone up.

“I feel safe, I can sit down before the bus moves off and the drivers are all wonderful.”

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers relaunched the service in Walsall.

The ring and ride service is available on 0845 271 0455 or 0121 333 3107.