Community Transport Services Expand

Community transport (CT) operators in the East Riding are expanding their services to meet local needs and helping to provide better access to healthcare, shopping and other essential activities.

The East Riding’s four CT operators provided more than 4,000 passenger journeys to health facilities in 2011/12 (financial year 1 April 2011 – 31 March 2012), and this is projected to increase to nearly 7,500 in 2012/13. Approximately 1,900 journeys to healthcare have already been provided in the months of April – June 2012 alone.

Community transport fills the gaps that conventional bus services cannot reach. It provides a lifeline for people who cannot use or access public transport, including residents in isolated rural areas. Sometimes it can replace a rural bus service that has been withdrawn for commercial or other reasons.

Recently, Holderness Area Rural Transport (HART) received a request from residents in the village of Skipsea for a monthly service to Hornsea. A new ‘MiBUS’ door-to-door dial-a-ride service will start operating from 26 October 2012. It will also serve other villages including Catfoss and Bewholme, and will link with the Hornsea Town Bus service.

Skipsea resident Chris Walker said: “We are all extremely grateful that HART have responded to our suggestion and are adding this service. The residents of Skipsea, Beeford and Bewholme will be able to access the doctors and dentists in Hornsea without having to rely on lifts from neighbours. It will also be good to be able to support the local shops in Hornsea.”

Community transport groups rely heavily on volunteers to help them deliver services, so it is good that volunteer recruitment is also on the increase – up 25 per cent in 2012/13 so far. But more volunteers would be welcomed. If you are interested in volunteering as a driver or passenger assistant, why not add to the numbers and help CT groups to provide even more new journey opportunities this year. Visit the East Riding Volunteer Bureau on www.ervas.org.uk or telephone 01482 871077.

Meanwhile, a service designed to help people with unmet community transport needs in rural areas is now being provided by ’s Rural Policy and Partnerships Team. This can help residents identify and use existing bus networks where appropriate or put residents in touch with community transport providers. The rural team is also able to offer help to communities who want to make a case for improved bus or community transport services.

You can contact the rural team to ask for advice and assistance in the following ways:

Face-to-face, through registering your request at one of East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Customer Service Centres.
By telephone, through ringing the Council’s Contact Centre (01482 393939).
Online, by visiting the Council’s website and searching for ‘rural community transport.’

Councillor Jane Evison, who is Chair of the Holderness Area Rural Transport and the council’s portfolio holder for economic development, tourism and rural issues, said: “Community transport serves a real need, particularly in the more isolated rural areas, and it is good news that services are growing in the East Riding.

“It is clear that a lot can be achieved by working together and with the sterling efforts of our volunteers. I also urge people looking to further develop community transport to contact the council’s rural team who are able to offer their expertise and support.”



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