How people are travelling in their communities, outside of commercial public transport systems, is to be the focus for this inquiry. The Committee inquiry wants to look at whether community transport services are able to better meet the needs of the people they serve. More than 80% of people who use community transport are elderly and/or people with disabilities and with the older population ever increasing, the Committee knows how important community transport is to people’s lives.
Key themes
The Committee is aware of the main issues which have been highlighted in previous studies. These are set out below, and the Committee is keen to move the debate on, identify the main priorities and really make a difference as a result of this inquiry.
- A lack of a strategic approach to community transport and the impact which a lack of transport has on people’s lives
- The growing demand for community transport provision
- A lack of a coordinated approach with NHS bodies and community transport providers
- Eligibility criteria for non-emergency patient transport and the cost to NHS of taxi use
- Replacing community transport vehicles and funding planning
- Access to concessionary fares schemes
Your views
The Committee is keen to hear from community transport users and providers on what you feel are the key issues for you, which may or may not be listed above. These views will shape the inquiry, and feed into oral evidence sessions with stakeholder representatives and Ministers.
The Committee has produced a poster - please circulate this to anyone who might be interested. Please follow this link.
How to submit your views
The call for written views opens on 11 March, and will run until 19 April 2013.
Before making a submission, please read our policy on treatment of written evidence by subject and mandatory committees.
We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language.
Responses should be sent electronically in Word format to the following address:
[email protected]
You may also make written submissions to:
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee
T3.40
Scottish Parliament
EH99 1SP
Next Steps
The call for written views will help the Committee gather information and opinions about Community Transport issues in Scotland.
Once the call for views has closed, the Committee will hold a number of oral evidence sessions with stakeholder representatives.
Additional Information
Please follow this link to our Press Release