Poor links may lead to loneliness
There is a patchwork of community transport schemes dotted around rural North East Somerset but better communication is needed to link them all together. That was the conclusion of the Somer Valley Forum as it heard elderly and younger residents alike are being left isolated and lonely by poor public transport links. Services like the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Community Bus have been running for decades and other communities want to tap into their expertise. Timsbury parish councillor David Collett, who raised the issue, said: “Successful solutions are going to come together by working together. “We have to share information. We have to share resources. We have to share vehicles. “We will need more working together and more travelling together.” He said technology is progressing rapidly and now passengers can access live updates on bus times or use apps to share lifts or for smart ticketing across different areas. Cllr Collett said the West of England Combined Authority should make full use of its devolved powers to “reverse the free for all” caused by bus deregulation, which he said had resulted in fewer rural buses, such as by cross-subsidising between profitable routes and those that are more of a public service. Chris Head, the executive director of the West of England Rural Network, said by April 2019 Weca hopes to be an integrated transport authority – meaning it could link efforts across Bath & North East Somerset Council, South Gloucestershire and Bristol. He said better transport can help tackle loneliness and isolation, although it is not the reserve of elderly residents and can be just as challenging for those aged 16 to 25 if they cannot afford to get around. The result is young people leaving rural areas. But he said if services like broadband are improved, some people will be able to work from home and not need to travel as much. The meeting heard from representatives of four community transport schemes set up to address different issues. Sarah Williams said SWAN’S 27 volunteer car drivers made nearly 5,000 journeys last year across Bath and North East Somerset. Its passengers are unable to access conventional public transport. The majority are elderly, disabled or vulnerable. Midsomer Norton and Radstock Dial-a-ride uses a fully accessible minibus that serves members on a first come, first served basis. Its representative, Adrian Brimson, said: “Community transport is a social service. We are the first point of contact for some people.” Mike Clarkson explained that the parish council set up the Wellow Community Bus as a charity to serve residents of the village. Three-quarters of its passengers are students heading to Bath, with commuters also using the service. Mr Clarkson told the meeting it had tapped into Department for Transport support to secure a free new minibus. The Midsomer Norton and Radstock Community Bus, which has been running for 50 years, was represented by Melvyn Johnson. It only takes groups, for example people who live in care homes or are going to afternoon groups. Timsbury Parish Council clerk Chris Gittins said: “There’s a patchwork of community transport services, all working very hard. We might all individually invent the wheel - it needs to be coordinated.” Cllr John Bull told the meeting he sits on a Bath & North East Somerset Council scrutiny panel and will ask for rural transport to be discussed at a future meeting.