Free travel from Leighton Buzzard to Dunstable health hub thanks to council donation
People can now travel to Dunstable health hub for free, thanks to a donation from the town council.
As of today (August 4), patients can travel with Leighton Buzzard Voluntary Patient Transport (LBVPT) to Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub, Court Drive, at no cost.
The volunteers can collect people from most LU7 postcodes, take them to their hospital appointments and back home.
A LBVPT spokesman said: "This is due to a generous donation from the former Town Mayor's Charity Fund, which has allowed us to put aside the full donation to subsidise this project.
"Central Bedfordshire has no hospital and Leighton Buzzard no health centre. We have three surgeries and a small clinic.
"Residents must travel far and wide for basic simple tests, for example ultrasounds and blood tests – as although occasionally offered locally, the waiting time is sometimes excessive."
A Leighton-Linslade Town Council spokesman said: "We're delighted that a donation has helped make this fantastic initiative possible.
"It's wonderful to see those funds supporting local people by providing free transport to Grove View Hub for vulnerable residents, making it easier to access essential healthcare closer to home."
Leighton Buzzard Voluntary Patient Transport continues to take an "ever-increasing" number of vulnerable people to their NHS appointments across 40 NHS sites in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
The team took 2,005 people in 2025 – and will exceed that total in 2026.
"Our closest health hub is at Grove View, and it is massively underutilised,” added the LBVPT spokesman.
"There is plenty of free parking there and it is easier for people to get to than our nearest hospital, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, where parking is difficult and expensive.
"Our hope is that more services will be offered at Grove View, which will offer a less stressful experience to all concerned – and it will also assist LBVPT’s carbon footprint."
For further information, contact LBVPT on 07873 497633 or email: [email protected]
For other destinations, the team normally asks for a donation, starting at £15, as a contribution towards costs.
The LBO has reached out to the Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board for a comment.