Community transport needs survey - update

A consultation on the future of community transport has received well over 6000 responses with three weeks left to run. Despite the excellent response to a random survey of Bristol residents - the council is concerned that not enough existing users of community transport have responded to the survey, which was distributed to them via provider organisations.

Councillor Tim Kent, Executive Member for Transport, said: “A random survey of residents across the city had a very high response. But it is very important that more existing users of community transport come forward.

“Many existing users are elderly or vulnerable, so we are asking regular family, visitors and carers to check through letters and paperwork to find and help complete the survey. We are not making any savings to the community transport budget - we intend to invest the same amount. But we want to ensure that we can fund the most effective services with the greatest reach for existing and potential users.”

Bristol City Council is looking at who currently uses the community transport services it supports, and who has a need for community transport both now and in the future. It is also seeking information about other community transport services in the city that it does not support financially.

Community transport can be:

· door to door services for people with limited mobility
· minibuses for community groups such as scouts, guides, children’s clubs
· small community buses, which operate links to local shops and other services.

The aim is to get as high a return as possible and paint a clear picture of how the current provision serves residents and where there may be gaps in services - particularly for vulnerable people. The council must then analyse the results and prepare options for the future provision of transport for those people whose needs will not be met by the rail, bus and taxi services.

The closing date for responses is 27th April.

The council is particularly keen to hear from more existing users. But it is also very interested in hearing from people who do not currently use Community Transport but feel they may benefit from it now or in the future.
 
For further information please visit the council website at www.bristol.gov.uk/communitytransport or leave a message on 0117 922 2946.