Community transport

What is Community Transport?

Community Transport is part of the voluntary sector run by charities and volunteer groups.

Community Transport and Public Transport work together to ensure Gloucestershire has a healthy transport network. 

Community Transport (CT) plays a vital role in filling gaps in service not provided by local buses and trains (the mainstream public transport network) as well as meeting the more specific needs of particular groups or individuals in the community. CT often takes the form of either (i) set routes with a set timetable (often shopper trips or school transport), or (ii) on demand journeys, where a customer has contacted a group and booked a trip (this is demand responsive transport, often a 'dial-a-ride' system). 

The County Council sees the effective support of Community Transport as essential to delivering positive outcomes for Gloucestershire communities. Local transport needs for all residents can be met, via these non-profit-making or social enterprise teams, which involves a mixture of volunteers and paid staff. 

Successful Community Transport normally depends on a partnership between the people running the organisation, the public sector, customers and the community. 

How do I find out more?

Gloucestershire County Council are prioritising transparency and promotion of Community Transport. 

Community Transport should be considered in the same way as other mean of public transport. The providers in Gloucestershire will do all they can to make your journey as easy as possible. Where there is no local bus or train service, Community Transport is the perfect option.

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 manage other things - lunch clubs, shops which directly support the organisation, community outreach, events and activities... Just ask them - see the list below!  

Some have become involved in the operation of contracts for home to school and local transport on behalf of the county council, as a means of generating revenue which may in turn help support the provision of the more social types of local transport - booking a specific journey. 

Community Transport list

Any one of these groups will be happy to talk about how they might be able to help you and your community. 

(A to Z)