Dial-a-ride services in Bedfordshire to get more than half a million pounds in funding to help keep them on the road

Buzzer Buses, South Beds dial-a-ride and Greensand Country Community Transport provide travel options to those who are otherwise unable to access public transport, according to a report to Central Bedfordshire Council’s executive committee.

The local authority provides funding by way of a contract to the dial-a-ride operators covering its district, said the report.

It explained: “These contracts have expired and, as the funding doesn’t cover the whole cost of the services going forward, finance will be by way of a grant.

“CBC wants to provide this grant support to suppliers of accessible community transport services to allow them to develop and to improve the services they offer some residents.

“The users may have a learning disability, be at risk of social or economic isolation or have a personal mobility or sensory impairment, which make the use of conventional bus services difficult or prevent it altogether.

“Operators of such services have been invited to apply for financial support from CBC to develop their services and to help the local authority in achieving its local transport objectives.

“By providing a door-to-door transport service, we can ensure that those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access public transport can do so. This will enable people to live active, healthy, and independent lives.

“Without this funding, the operators won’t be able to continue to deliver these services,” warned the report. “As this grant award exceeds £500,000, the financial scheme of management means it must be approved by the executive.

“It’s important that this provision is sustained to meet the needs of the disabled and elderly who aren’t easily able to access public transport.

“Allowing residents access to accessible transport will reduce the need for car usage and reduce the number of vehicles on our roads.”

Each dial-a-ride provider is required to sign a service level agreement (SLA) against which they would be monitored, added the report. “The grant will only be paid if they show that the SLA is being met.”

Buzzer Buses serves the Leighton Buzzard and Woburn areas, Dunstable and south Bedfordshire are covered by South Beds-dial-a-ride, while Greensand Country Community Transport caters for Mid Beds, including Biggleswade, Sandy, Ampthill and Flitwick.

Independent Potton councillor and executive member for sustainability and climate resilience Tracey Wye explained: “This provides a grant towards the dial-a-ride community transport for these fantastic services to continue covering Central Bedfordshire.

“The contract has expired and the funding doesn’t cover the whole cost, so they need to have an extra grant. This goes towards our sustainability plan aims with these community transport services reducing the need for private transport.

“The dial-a-ride services are an essential part of our transport links, and their excellent work supports the council’s ambitions to encourage these people to live active, healthy, and independent lives.”

The executive committee agreed to allow grant funding for three organisations operating dial-a-ride services across Central Bedfordshire.