The Rural Community Council for Kent and Medway
Options for local transport improvements.
More and better public transport?
As profit making businesses there are limits to what most bus companies will consider. It is unlikely that they will be persuaded to lay on a completely new service but they might extend or adapt a service if you can build a good case. ‘Quality Bus Partnerships’ where local authorities and the service providers work together investing in infrastructure and new modern vehicles are becoming more common and do make a considerable difference. Your local authority transport planners will know what the situation is in your area.
‘Socially necessary’ services are subsidised by Kent County Council from their own resources and government grants. They are of necessity prioritised with school transport at the top of the list, evening/weekend services at the bottom. With contract prices constantly rising there is very little scope for any expansion of these services. That said it might be possible for a well established community scheme to persuade KCC to fund it to provide a local service rather than one of the major operators.
With options so limited self-help is often the only alternative.
Community Transport Options
There are a number of different schemes, briefly outlined here, for you to consider. Some will fit your particular circumstances better than others.There are of course legal requirements and constraints involved with most of them. Seek advice from us here or contact the Community Transport Association - basic advice is free. 
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Community buses
Vehicles ranging in size from seven seat people movers to seventeen seat wheelchair accessible minibuses are being used here in Kent and around the country to proved a variety of different services.
While relatively easy to maintain in urban areas with their larger passenger base much more care and nurturing, not to mention finance, are likely to be needed for rural operations. Many prospective users may only want the service infrequently. It is therefore essential to recruit a large number of users as early as possible in the life of the project. This can be a real problem unless a number of communities come together to provide a service and employ someone to coordinate and promote the service. All but the larger urban schemes are likely to need long term subsidy, particularly when vehcile replacement is required.
For an example of a very successful joint venture run by five parishes here in Kent take a look at
Wealden Wheels -
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Volunteer car schemes
This is an extremely flexible option, as varied as communities themselves and ideal where populations and destinations are widely spread or where a personal door-to-door service is required. Some schemes, such as those run by many a Volunteer Bureau or Hospital Car Service, operate across whole counties or districts; others cover just one or two villages and cost virtually nothing to run. Drivers use their own cars and can be paid up to 40p per mile (the current maximum rate as set by the Inland Revenue). All insurers provide cover for this type of use, usually at no extra cost. Details of schemes in Kent are contained in 'Giving Kent a Lift' -
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Car Clubs and Car Sharing
Car sharing is a familiar concept and being actively promoted by, amongst others, Kent County Council and Canterbury City Council as part of their green travel plans. Car clubs, where a pool of cars of various types and sizes are made available to members, are not so well known in the UK although well established in serveral European countries.
Both ideas can make significant contributions to congestion and pollution reduction. As one might expect they work best in urban areas but there is some progress in tailoring the concepts to more rural settings.
For more information visit Car Plus or read their publication -
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Taxi Voucher Schemes
Scheme users are provided with a number of vouchers that can, by agreement with one or more local taxi operators, be used in full or part payment of their fare. The taxi driver is periodically reimbursed by the scheme organisers – often a parish, district or borough council. With no capacity to generate income this type of subsidy is an expensive solution best suited to covering the occasional emergency that can arise anywhere or to support individuals where there is no other more cost effective option. Membership criteria and an annual budget usually establish how much subsidy is available to a single user. For fuller details follow this link to the Countryside Agency publication - "A Taxi Voucher Toolkit"
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Taxi buses
A taxi owner can apply, at some cost to himself, to the Traffic Commissioner for a bus operator licence. The taxi owner can then register a route with a skeleton timetable and provide a local bus service starting and finishing from fixed points, picking up individual members of the public from recognised stops and points in between, charging each a separate fare. When not engaged in taxi bus work the vehicle can continue to be used as a normal taxi.
This is particularly suited to regular events such as a market day and can greatly reduce the cost of lengthy journeys for individuals.
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"Wheels to Work"
In there simplest form these are scooter loan schemes that allow those without suitable public or personal transport to look for work or access employment, education or training. Loan periods are often limited to 6-9 months and users are expected to make progress towards providing their own personal transport at the end of this period.
With well established schemes in many parts of the country, a toolkit has been produced that gathers advice and best practice and if freely available here.
These schemes can be extended in a number of ways to cater for different needs. Some offer bicycles, subsidised driving lessons or short term loans for season tickets for example. Whatever form they take these schemes are very successful in providing a transport solution for individuals in isolated rural communities. This is not a cheap option, needing considerable investment of grant aid for scooters, safety equipment and a paid co-ordinator. On the other hand the benefits are very worthwhile, saving considerable sums in benefits and allowances and enhancing community cohesion and economic prosperity allowing young people to remain in the community. Once established some, like the Ride On scheme here in Kent that serves the parishes of Romney Marsh, are setting themselves up as social enterprises, generating some income, providing additional employment opportunities and significantly reducing the need for ongoing grant support.
For more information about Ride On contact Simon Handley, the project coordinator::
by phone
07951 941203 or click the envelope to send him an email
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Walking Buses
A healthy option that can significantly ease congestion and promote traffic awareness and personal safety in urban and rural settings. Thanks to the continued sponsorhip of the Kent Messenger group and others you can find comprehensive support for walking bus schemes across the county on the Kent and Medway Walking Bus website -click on their logo -
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Quiet lanes
Another health promoting but little known option that has been tested in West Kent with some success. With traffic seemingly constantly on the increase lanes that were once easy for walkers, cyclists and horseriders to use are becoming unpleasant and difficult, wildlife is often at risk and noise pollution increases.
Quiet Lanes are clearly defined and signposted networks chosen as suitable for all road users: walkers, cyclists, horseriders and drivers, the intention being to:
- preserve the character of country lanes;
- make the lanes more attractive to walkers, cyclists, horse riders;
- encourage drivers to think about other road users.
Quiet Lane networks are not intended as a traffic calming devices nor as a means of tackling 'rat runs' or HGV traffic. They identify networks of minor rural roads and public rights of way such as those that can be used by local residents to access shops and amenities, or for making local journeys to work or school without using a car. It is important that Quiet Lanes are created as part of an overall transportation strategy - one that allows non-local traffic to be directed along appropriate alternative routes and you will therefore need to speak to Kent Highways if you feel this is an appropriate solution for you.
For more detailed information look at the Greensand Ridge Quiet Lanes scheme, one of two National Demonstration Projects.
For more information on community transport in rural Kent contact Nigel Whitburn on 01303 850816.
Or click this link to submit an enquiry
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