CTA Conference: Inclusive Transport & the Role of Community-led Solutions

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With growing interest in the impact of community-led solutions in driving inclusive transport, on Tuesday 16th May CTA brought together over 140 transport providers, local councils, disability advocates, charity organisations and community transport schemes in England to discuss the social impact of community-led solutions as well as equitable and accessible transportation systems that serve everyone’s needs.

We were joined by Transport Minister, Richard Holden MP, as well as other experts in the sector. 

Discussions included;

• Showcasing the results of the tackling loneliness project in England.
• Discussing the social impact of community-led solutions in driving inclusive transport.
• Highlighting how CT and transport stakeholders can respond to the challenges of the future
• Sharing knowledge and understanding of key topics that affect the CT sector.
• Showcasing the value of CT as a strategic and operational partner in the transport system.

Expert Speakers

We were joined by a range of speakers on the day.  We recorded the speakers so if you missed out you can watch the recording below.  We have also included copies of the speakers presentations.

You can view the recording of the speakers here 

We have attached copies of the speakers presentations.

• Overview of the conneCTing programme in England – Caroline Whitney, Director for England, CTA
• DfT Tackling Loneliness through Transport – Why this is important – Tom McCaskill-Baxter, Head of Tackling Loneliness, Accessible and Inclusive Travel, DfT 
• How Community Transport has tackled loneliness  – Community Transport Association 
• A policy Update on the Bus Service Operators Grant Fund  – Millie O’Driscoll BSOG Policy & Reform Lead, DfT
• Exploring the way forward: The next steps for the NHS Volunteer Responder programme – Damien Greenhalgh, Project Manager – Voluntary Partnerships NHS England
• Connecting with health – how a volunteer car service can connect people to health  – Mark Wynn, Director, Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale Circle 

Workshop Sessions

7 workshops were held covering topics that looked to the future.

• Decarbonisation: How the agenda relates to the community transport sector
• MiDAS Overview: About the MiDAS transformation
• Connection to the wider VCFS and Local Authorities : How working together has improved CT in their areas.
• How to run a CT: Myth Busting and understanding the considerations
• Digital Demand Responsive Transport: Exploring what role community transport is and should have in delivering this model
• Tackling Loneliness: How can CT demonstrate its impact and measure its social value
  • Successful Steps to Fundraising
  • Identifying and supporting lonely individuals
• Transport for Health : How we can ensure that this value has better recognition and visibility with health partners

You will find links to the workshop presentations above and over the coming weeks we will be releasing a follow-up blog on each workshop area highlighting the key thoughts of the sector.

Share your views and experiences of the conference here.

It is important we get your feedback to help us improve future events and ensure we are discussing topics relevant for the sector.