Community transport threat: Shropshire Council joins fight for vital services
Shropshire Council says it will fight the corner for community transport in the county.
The council is to write to the Department for Transport saying it provides a lifeline to thousands.
It comes after reports that the DfT could insist that volunteer drivers for services like Dial-a-Ride should have to have a commercial licence which cost thousands of pounds and charities say, would put people off volunteering.
Community transport groups, which offer an alternative to commercial bus services in areas where there is no bus route or for those who have mobility problems, operate in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Church Stretton, Broseley and Bridgnorth, with a fleet of 26 mini buses.
Shropshire Council's Community Overview Committee discussed the proposed changes at the Shirehall in Shrewsbury on Monday and set up a task and finish group to look at the Government proposals.
Transport Commissiong Officer, James Willocks said: “The proposed DfT Section permit consultation has brought into doubt the future of many community transport groups. The consultation centres on the interpretation of whether these groups operate for a profit or their primary function is transport.
"If that is the case, then they would be required to apply for a transport operators licence or relinquish the current commercial contracts resulting in a shortfall in operating costs."
Councillor Cecilia Motley said it seemed to be a 'dotty piece of legislation.
"We need to let the community groups know that we are backing them and that we will fight their corner. We must look at ways of dealing with whatever the government decides," she said.
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Ludlow Councillor, Andy Boddington, said: "Community transport helps to keep people alive. It means that they can go out and socialise and help prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness which can lead to depression."
Several councillors pointed out that in many rural areas of Shropshire there were no regular bus services.
Councillor Les Winwood said one service that could be lost was that travelling the A490 and serving villages like Richard's Castle.
"We need to let the parish councils realise that they could lose this service as part of our look at how we will deal with this."
Mr Willocks said that there could be Section 106 money, from housing developments, that could be used to help community transport and said it was important to look at how it can be secured for the future.
"In Shifnal the town council is working with the Broseley Friendly Bus to provide community transport in the area, it is a project that should help everyone."
Linda Cox from Shrewsbury Dial-a-Ride said that if the Department for Transport chooses to implement the changes then it could be dire for all of the community transport groups across Shropshire.
"We have about 35 volunteers, many of them older and if they had to have commercial licences, none would be prepared to do it. They would just stop volunteering. If they stopped volunteering then we would stop running."
