Transport on Demand – the future of Haslingfield bus services?

South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) is proposing a new type of solution to meet the transport needs of our rural community. Demand Responsive Transport (DRT)  is ideal for people living in rural areas with limited or no access to conventional public transport. Think of it as a mini-bus-on-demand service which aims to take passengers to locations where they can access other transport services.

DRT can provide a door-to-door service,collecting you from your home and taking you to your preferred destination. For example, they would be able to take you directly to your medical centre, rather than drop you off nearby. You could also arrange to be picked up or dropped off at a stop along a scheduled bus route or at a Park & Ride. You could also use it to get to work, or to visit family. DRT will not duplicate existing transport facilities and is run by independent professional providers on a not-for-profit basis using paid drivers who can help with shopping bags and wheel chair access.

How does it work?

Anyone wanting to use the service, calls a specified local booking line to make the booking, and transport is arranged on a first come first served basis. The usual model is for bookings to be taken up to 7 days in advance, with 2 live bookings at any one time. This model can be changed to reflect specific local needs.

Passengers can also make up to 6 forward bookings per year in advance of the usual 7 days notice. This is important for passengers who need to secure transport for important appointments, for example medical appointments. The DRT operator normally operates the booking line. Lines for existing schemes are open Monday to Friday 8am until 4pm.

In some areas it might be better to combine scheduled and DRT services. This could take the form where a scheduled bus service would run at the beginning at the end of the day, which provides the regular provision that commuters and students would require. Then during the day, the DRT would provide the flexible facility for other transport users. The type of combination service would again be determined by the need identified in the area.

Community Engagement

The County Council is now consulting with residents, so this is the opportunity to have your say and tell the County exactly what you as a transport user would like.

We now need YOU to help shape the future of Haslingfield’s transport services by completing the survey.

For more information on the scheme, please download the DRT information leaflet.

You can also download the survey form, complete and return to Kathyrn Hawkes at South Cambridgeshire District Council.

You may also be interested in the Cambridgeshire Future Transport initiative.

(Article content sourced from tumihawkins.org.uk)