Fit and Ready? How Community Transport helps address health and wellbeing needs. Nicky Stevenson Norfolk Community Transport Association

What is Community Transport?

Community Transport Operators help people in Norfolk to get to places they need to go when they don’t have access to other means of transport.

Community Transport – the picture in Norfolk

There are 60+ organisations providing community transport in Norfolk, offering a range of services: Community car schemes Minibuses Moped hire – wheels to work Short term car hire Community rail network

Community Transport in numbers Over 60 organisations Over 150 paid staff and 650 volunteers Over 135,000 journeys a year Over 90 vehicles 200 bikes 200 car club members

How Community Transport operates Independent organisations set up by people in their local communities Services delivered by a mixture of paid staff and volunteers. Funded by fares charged to passengers, public service contracts (such as school transport) and grants

How CTOs make a difference

Extra help to get from the front door to the passenger seat because of age or a disability Access to essential services such as GP and hospital appointments Getting to work, school and college People in rural areas can maintain links with their communities An affordable option to private hire

Community transport – a healthy option? District and Parish Councils subsidising health journeys Local arrangements with GP practices Overcoming isolation Keeping retired people active in the community Helping reduce missed appointments

Access to health services doesn’t start from when you get to the doctor – it starts when you leave your front door

Nicky Stevenson |