Policy / Research

Connecting Community Transport in England 

CTA is committed to providing leadership and acting as a unified voice for our members.  To do that CTA is prioritising the work we do in England through consultation and engagement with our members and wider stakeholders.  We run all our policy and research activities through our conneCTing England Programme.  

 

The CTA conneCTing programme aims to bring together community transport (CT) within England to work collectively and collaboratively with partners on the topics and issues that are important to them. 

 

A graphic titled 'CONNECTING – England’s Community Transport Sector' with the subtitle 'Intended Outcomes.' It features six key outcomes in purple speech bubbles against a blue background: Ensure a connected & strong voice for community transport. Improve the relationship between the CT sector & stakeholders. Share learning & good practice with others. Raise the profile of CT with stakeholders. Increased joint working between the CT sector & stakeholders. Be able to guide & influence policy regionally & nationally.

 

 

As a result of the key issues identified in the Mapping England: State of the Sector Community Transport Report 2024, we are moving away from holding 11 individual regional forums to focusing on 5 deep dive research areas. These areas will bring together multiple regions, enabling us to address the most pressing challenges highlighted in the report.  

 

While the projects will focus on specific regions, the intended outcomes of working collaboratively with partners on these critical issues will remain central. This approach will allow for a deeper exploration of the sector’s needs and challenges, and we will share the learning and insights from each research area across all of England, ensuring a wider, national impact.

 

As we focus on the five deep dive areas in these projects, we will also continue to support individual Community Transport Organisations (CTOs) in their work with local authorities. 

Our goal is to ensure that the national priorities are embedded within each of these research areas, aligning the projects with broader sector goals. By doing so, we aim to create a cohesive approach that not only addresses the specific challenges of each deep dive area but also supports the integration of national priorities, such as improving volunteer recruitment, promoting social value, and enhancing the role of community transport in local planning. This will ensure that CTOs are well-positioned to engage with local authorities effectively and contribute to long-term, sustainable solutions for community transport across the country.

 

The 5 Deep Dive areas are:

  • Accelerating EV Adoption: Insights and Strategies for Community Transport Operators in England
  • Maximising Impact: Evaluating the Value of Group Hire Services in Community Transport
  • Driving Sustainability: Evaluating and Future-Proofing Volunteer Car Schemes
  • Exploring and Enhancing Community Bus Routes: Understanding Operations, Challenges, and S22 Permit Usage
  • Connecting Community Transport to Local Devolution: Opportunities, Challenges, and Best Practices

Choose to receive updates on the specific projects that interest you by signing up for our deep dive project updates.

 

Find out more about each deep dive research project below.