Upset over changes to community transport

Users of community transport say changes to the service are stopping them from getting to medical appointments and travelling independently.

The service in Cheshire West and Chester, which receives council funding, has recently been taken over by a new provider with changes to the way it runs and the buses impacting users.

Annette Lawrence said she has had issues accessing the neuro therapy centre where she has regular appointments, and that the changes were "isolating people".

Cheshire West and Chester Council said the previous service was not offering value for money and it hoped the new system would be better.

Community transport - which can be known as dial-a-ride or ring-and-ride - is not a statutory service that councils legally need to provide and it operates in different ways in different areas.

The service is often run by charities which receive council funding.

Lawrence had been using the service for 30 years in its previous forms.

She said the new service, called Your Bus, is operating in a different way and impacting how people can use it.

She said she was originally told the new service would not take her to a neuro therapy centre in Saltney where she regularly has appointments. It now only goes to the centre on certain days.

"They have what they call bus routes now where you're supposed to get to a bus stop, or if you want a bus at a certain time and it doesn't suit them, you don't get it," she said.

"It's affecting vulnerable people, disabled people. It's isolating people, it's stopping people from getting anywhere. It's all wrong and needs sorting out".

She added that she wanted to speak out on behalf of others who "can't do what I'm doing now".

Chris Duggan regularly used the previous service to go to the cinema, or to bowls and said he was "quite annoyed".

"I don't think that it's appropriate because I will try to book it a week in advance and I wanted it at the times that I would be going to the cinema and coming back. They said 'no we can't, you've got to go when we say', and I just thought it was a bit offish," he said.

His mum Beryl, who received a BEM in the 2013 New Year Honours for her work with a sight loss charity, said Chris doesn't have the freedom he previously did.

"It's difficult when you've got a disability getting out anyway," she said.

"But when the service isn't there to take you to these places, you're isolated then because you can't go," she said.

Meanwhile, Pam Davies has concerns about how the new buses are set out.

Her daughter, Sarah, uses an electric wheelchair and she said the buses have been "a means of independence" for her.

"The buses were very accessible, she felt quite secure in the lift, the drivers were excellent.

"I've seen the new vehicles and we would not be happy trying to access it with Sarah's powered wheelchair," she said.

She added that although she and her husband can take Sarah to places at the moment, "there could be times when we're not able to take her, and to know that isn't an option is a worry".

Karen Shore, deputy leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said the previous service was not providing the best value for money and she hoped the new service would be better.

"Councils are in straitened times at the moment," she said.

"This isn't a statutory service, we don't have to provide it, but we can see the value of it so we want to be able to make sure people who need transport and can't access it are still able to access it.

"It's just not exactly the same as it was previously".

She added the changes were not just about saving money.

"If we just wanted to save money, we would've scrapped the service altogether. That's not what we've chosen to do because our values are that we want to support people in the community to be able to live independent lives".

Meanwhile in West Lancashire, the community transport service has recently ceased operating.

Ashley Dalton, the Labour MP for West Lancashire, said it was "really worrying" for those who use it.

"There are concerns that people are not going to be able to access the facilities, the services, and that it will significantly impact people's ability to feel independent," she said.

But she said the issue is around how local authorities can support the voluntary sector and build sustainable funding models, while allowing organisations to retain their independence.

"There's clearly demand for dial-a-ride services. I think that's absolutely clear, and my constituents are making that perfectly clear to me.

"I think what I want to see is support to Dial-A-Ride to help build their financial model."

West Lancashire Dial-A-Ride has been approached for comment.

Lancashire County Council said its funding for the service has been "maintained and has not been reduced".

"We are working closely with partners to identify sustainable options for the future and minimise the impact on residents who rely on these services," the council added.

West Lancashire Borough Council said it had "provided significant financial support" to fund community transport in recent years.

"The council recognises the vital role that community transport services play for local families, particularly for older residents and those with mobility challenges," it said.

"We are committed to working closely with the trustees, local partners and with colleagues across Lancashire to explore alternative provision and minimise the impact of this closure on residents."

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