Community transport

In Gloucestershire there is an active community transport sector, ranging from small voluntary car schemes through to developing social enterprises. Many groups who operate transport also co-ordinate lunch clubs, shops which directly support the organisation, community outreach, events, and other activities.

Community transport is part of the voluntary sector run by charities and volunteer groups which work together with public transport to ensure Gloucestershire has a healthy transport network. It plays a vital role in provided transport in areas where there is no mainstream public transport network, as well as providing more tailored transport to particular groups or individuals in the community.

Community transport often takes the form of either (i) set routes with a set timetable like shopping trips or school transport or (ii) on demand journeys, where a customer has contacted a group and booked a trip (often called a 'dial-a-ride' system).

Successful community transport needs a strong partnership between the people running the organisation, the public sector, users of the service and the community.

To find out more information and see a list of current community transport schemes, please visit our community transport pages.

The Robin

To increase rural access to transport, Gloucestershire County Council has launched ‘The Robin’. The Robin is designed specifically to provide transport links from close to people’s homes to locations for onward travel, for example, to connect with the fixed route bus network, or to services at times when there is no other transport option running. This service has launched in 2022 in two key rural areas - the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds.

The service aims to improve connections between rural areas which often have infrequent or no fixed routes available, increasing access to services and the wider transport network within the county. This will expand access to employment, education, healthcare, and shopping.

This service is a pilot scheme to learn how Gloucestershire County Council can offer these types of rural transport options in the best way possible for our communities. Funding is secured for the service to run for two years, with the pilot duration ending in 2024. Information will be gathered throughout the pilot to consider if the service continues or expands after 2024.

How the service works

You can book between two weeks in advance and up to one hour before you want to travel. Search for a journey and you will be shown the best available options for your pickup and drop off.

To book your journey it is simple needing the following information:

• Where do you want to be picked up and dropped off?
• When you would like to travel and what time. Remember to select the "arrive by" option if you need to get somewhere at a specific time!
• Do you need wheelchair access?

You will then be presented with a list of journey options that suit your needs. Choose your option and confirm the journey. You will receive an email confirmation of your journey straight away.

Two text message reminders (or mobile app notifications) will be sent the day of your journey. The first will be 30 minutes before your pick-up time and the second will be 10 minutes before. If there are any delays (more than 10 minutes) or interruptions, you will be notified (text message or via the app) straight away.

Visit The Robin webpages.