There was great news last Thursday for Edinburgh’s five community transport operators. It was formally announced that agreement has been reached to provide funding from the joint NHS/City of Edinburgh Council Health & Social Care Department Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund for investment in five new accessible vehicles – one for each operator.
The Change Fund will provide 90% of the cost of the new vehicles. Set to benefit are the many vulnerable older people and older people’s groups that rely on community transport operations to convey folk to and from vital preventative and early intervention services across the city. Around 200,000 passenger trips were provided by the operators during 2011/12.
EVOC has for many years led the development and administration of the Edinburgh Community Transport Operators’ Group (ECTOG). Through the partnership working and hard work of the group members, this investment in fleet replacement is being made just at a time when Council and Government policies are starting to realise the impact and potential of the voluntary sector in providing effective preventative and early intervention community-based services.
Edinburgh’s community transport operators are: Dove Centre Transport, Handicabs (HcL), Lothian Community Transport Services (LCTS), Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) and SEAG.
Further information about ECTOG and community transport operators in Edinburgh can be found here.
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