Policy / Research

CTA has five Policy & Research priorities which focus our work as the voice of the Community Transport sector.

1.    Modernising for Growth
2.    Improving Access to Health & Social Care
3.    Investing in Community Solutions
4.    Accelerating Community-Led Climate Action
5.    Delivering a Fair Deal for Volunteers

This priority is all about delivering fair funding for all of our sector, with investment into community solutions to our national challenges securing a sustainable long-term future for Community Transport.

Small-scale, short-term and fragmented sources of income have created a funding treadmill for Community Transport, which diverts valuable time and resources, and makes it difficult to plan for the long-term or retain and train staff and volunteers. In the face of a shrinking bus network, an ageing population and rising demand, our sector needs fair funding to keep services affordable, meet rising costs and pay all Community Transport employees a real Living Wage.

Under this priority, we’re campaigning for:

  • Fair, adequate and multi-year funding for the Community Transport sector, which keeps pace with inflation, contributes to core operating costs and sets flexible conditions, and gives confidence and security for operators, staff, volunteers and passengers;
  • Community Transport to be part of key government schemes and partnerships, like national strategies, Bus Service Improvement Plans and the £2 bus fare cap;
  • Enforcement of the 2012 Public Services (Social Value) Act to ensure the procurement of public services, including transport contracts, considers and evaluates the social, economic and environmental value delivered by Community Transport; and,
  • Greater support and start-up funding for local community-owned buses to replace lost routes when commercial, municipal or supported services are withdrawn.

You can find out more about our work on this priority on these pages or in our CTA Manifesto for the UK General Election 2024 here.