Our NEW Community Bus Service – Running From 4th December 2023
We want to hear from you !!!!
We are pleased to announce that we will be running a brand new Community Bus Service, and it will be coming to a community near you soon.
Our New Community Bus Service
Plans have moved forwards towards the start of our new Community Bus Service. We have confirmed the funding and the offer from PAVO to use their wheelchair enabled minibus, whilst reviewing options towards purchasing our own additional vehicle.
Door-To-Door “Dial-A-Ride” Service
The originally proposed concept of operating every Tuesday and Thursday has now been confirmed. The bus will run with a fully trained driver and “bus buddy” and will be going wherever scheme members express a wish to go.
For users of the bus, there will be no need to wait in the cold and rain outdoors, because our staff will escort you between door and vehicle. The driver and the “bus buddy” will offer whatever support is needed, e.g. mobility support, packing shopping bags, etc.
Would you like to try the service?
Users will need to be scheme members, and we would like to hear from them regarding where you would like to go? Passengers for our Community Bus scheme will need to be registered as scheme members, for which we require a joining fee of £1. This is to comply with the terms and conditions of the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, and because we operate under a Section 19 Permit of the Transport Act 1985.
Flexible Routing and Timings
The route and timings operated each day will be entirely based on the requests that we get. For example, on one day the route could include Llanwrtyd Wells, travelling through Llangammarch Wells, Beulah, Garth, Cilmery, Builth Wells, Newbridge on Wye, Llanyre, Howey, and on to Llandrindod Wells. Other smaller communities in the area can also be serviced, for example, Abergwesyn, Cefn-Gorwydd, Tirabad, Llanfechan, etc. Final route details each day will depend on the pick-up points requested.
We would love to hear from any potential passengers, as soon as possible, to enable us to know what transport would benefit your community.
Pre-booking is Essential
Each journey day is pre-bookable, so we can work out the driving route, and notify the passengers of their pick-up and drop-off times. Passengers should contact us 24 hours in advance to pre-book their seat.
We hope this new service allows people to get out from their homes with more confidence. Even if they only want to go to a local café, meet friends and neighbours, sit with a coffee and a piece of cake, and watch the world go by. The service is flexible, and can change by request, and with the participants’ agreement.
Fully Funded for Two Years
With grant funding secured until March 2025, we are pleased to confirm receipt of the first year’s funding for this service. Funding was generously provided by Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), under Powys County Council’s Social Value Forum.
This is your Community Bus – please let us know your thoughts !!
Download the image below if you would like to put up a poster to let people know of the new service:
Our website has full details of our transport services, and also a single page showing the up-to-date status of services.
More Company Are Directors Needed
To keep our services running smoothly, we are looking to recruit a couple of new Company Directors. There are currently three directors, one female and two male, all over 55, and we’d like to broaden the range of ages and skills represented. Could you join us in decision-making and planning for future services?
Your minimum commitment would be to attend a meeting every few weeks, and these generally last around 90 minutes. Ideally you’d be living in our catchment area, Llanwrtyd, Llangammarch, Llandrindod, Abergwesyn, Cefn Gorwydd, Tirabad, Beulah, Cilmery, or Garth, or anywhere nearby, and perhaps have some business skills to share with other Company Directors.
If you would like to use any service, or you’re interested in becoming a volunteer community car driver, please contact us or call on 01982 552727.
VOLUNTEER online via the Volunteering-Wales website.
- Community Car Statistics - 01/06/2024
- Our NEW Community Bus Service – Running From 4th December 2023 - 20/11/2023
- Pat Dryden - 28/08/2023