Mapping the way for older people to stay independent

The Community Transport Association (CTA) represents and supports local charities and community groups including more than 160 members in Scotland, which provide community owned and led transport services that fulfil a social purpose. CTA provides flexible and accessible solutions in response to unmet local transport needs, and often represents the only means of transport for many vulnerable and isolated people, often older people or people with disabilities.

Their members help to connect people and communities through a diverse range of adaptable, cost-effective and innovative transport services, which are always for a social purpose and never for profit. The sector has a large presence in Scotland, delivering schemes in urban, rural and island communities in 30 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities and serving over 100,000 people every single year. It comes in a range of different formats which delivers demand-responsive shared transport services – such as dial-a-ride, electric car clubs, transport to health and social care, school people access vital public services transport, ‘wheels-to-work’, minibus hire and bicycle or e-bike hire – as well as scheduled bus services on routes which are not commercially viable. On every day of the year, thousands of community transport staff and volunteers are helping older people to stay independent, participate in their communities and access vital public services and employment.

CTA have been working in partnership with Transport Scotland and recently published their ‘More than a Minibus’ community transport report and the first ever interactive online map of community transport in Scotland. The report is packed full of new data, evidence and case studies illustrating how community transport is about so much more than a minibus. It’s about connecting people and communities, servicing the most vulnerable in our society and tackling climate change, loneliness and poverty. The report illustrates the diversity and impact of community transport in Scotland and highlights the key challenges facing the sector –from the cost-of-living crisis to driver shortages.

Find out more!

Call 0345 130 6195 or email scotland@ctauk.org

Read the report at www.ctauk.org