Fears arise over future of Community Transport

Fears have arisen over the future of community transport in Bath and North East Somerset, following the news that the Council’s designated Community Transport Officer role is being scrapped.

For several years, B&NES has employed an officer to work directly work with community transport groups in Keynsham, Radstock, Bath and elsewhere to liaise on behalf of the authority and represent the views of the groups within the Transport Department.

Now, after years of successful work, Tory-run B&NES Council has decided to pull the plug on the role and leave many of the voluntary groups without this vital support.

Senior Lib Dem Gail Coleshill, who is standing at the next General Election has her party’s choice in North East Somerset, said:

“I was very worried to hear that the Council has decided to scrap this role. Every year, hundreds of volunteers work hard to provide a transport service to the elderly, the disabled, and anyone else who finds it difficult to use Public Transport.

In North East Somerset, groups such as the Norton-Radstock Ring & Ride, Keynsham Dial-a-Ride, Bath Community Transport and the Swan Advice Network play a vital role in offering a life-line to residents.

Many people use these services to do their weekly shop, to visit friends and get to important medical appointments.”

Last year, 14,000 passengers used the Ring and Ride service in Radstock and Midsomer Norton. B&NES currently gives £94,000 a year to support the service, but with severe government cuts on the way this funding could be under threat. Gail added:

“The current government has got its priorities wrong when it comes to using public finances to improve public and community transport. Instead of investing £millions on building bus lanes that no one wants, money should be going towards extending the community transport schemes in rural areas.

Also, if the Tories win the next election, they are telling us to expect big cuts to public services. I wonder if the Tory Candidate for North East Somerset will distance himself from his party’s actions locally and their plans nationally?

I believe that in rural areas such as North East Somerset we can’t under estimate the importance of community transport and I call on the Council to reinstate the Community Transport Officer role before it’s too late.”