The text below was published on the web Tuesday 29 March 2011 08:22. Copied here because newspapers seem to regularly delete content from the web after a few months.
PUBLIC transport in Laxfield could be retained thanks to a new democratic volunteer service looking to stave off isolation for non-car driving residents.
The Handy Bus Club (HBC), a pilot community minibus project operated by Suffolk ACRE currently serving areas between Sibton, Peasenhall and Halesworth, has been approached by residents wanting a Laxfield route.
This service, part of a pilot project which sees its funding end this Thursday, came about after the recent Time For You study funded by the Department of Health, and has been operating three times a day for the aforementioned areas on Mondays and Wednesdays since January.
Due to the effect of proposed bus funding cuts from Suffolk County Council, other villages such as Laxfield have expressed an interest in operating the HBC too, which can continue running for another 30 weeks with the current schedule: enough time, the backers hope, to find funding to keep the club going for even longer.
Nat Bocking, community development researcher with Suffolk ACRE, said: “The aim is to have a schedule set by passengers and coordinated with businesses, activities and health services to enable rurally isolated people to access them when public transport isn’t practical because of service gaps or an inability to book in advance.
“What’s also different about the Handy Bus is that we have brought back the bus conductor, which people appreciate.
To continue running the club as a charity, we ideally need up to six people to volunteer as drivers and conductors to help run the service in Laxfield.”
Club membership is open to all, and although travel is free for pensioners, disabled people, and family carers, other members are asked to make a voluntary contribution per journey.
/ENDS
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