Our first-ever Climate Action programme in Scotland has gone from strength to strength this year.

So far, the programme has involved:

Human rights are under attack or in retreat around the world. In Scotland, however, our government is considering how to protect and expand our rights by incorporating major international human rights treaties into Scots law.

Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to declare a global climate emergency in 2019.

We have ambitious targets to reduce car use by 20% by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Yet we’ve missed our legally binding carbon reduction targets in 8 out of the last 12 years. Transport emissions are stubbornly high, almost unchanged in three decades.

The Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme (MiDAS) has been an intrinsic part of the community transport sector since its inception in 1994. As the training scheme reaches 30 years old, CTA’s transformation plan goes far beyond the regular minor amendments that have been made every 2 years. CTA has spent the past 18 months working in partnership with Hampshire County Council (the original developers of MiDAS) to transform the MiDAS offering. We are maintaining the original guiding ethos of ‘by the sector for the sector.

We welcome DfT’s new Code of Practice for Mobility as a Service, which prioritises accessibility, digital inclusion and Community Transport.

Back in May 2022, CTA published our response to the Department for Transport (DfT)’s consultation on proposals for a new Code of Practice for Mobility as a Service (also known as MaaS), which could have significant implications for the Community Transport sector.

We all know a minibus gets passengers from point A to B, but what else can it do? Well, it turns out it can change someone’s life too.

Community Transport has been all over the news in Scotland in recent days thanks to the amazing story of Glenfarg Community Transport Group.

After the devastating withdrawal of an infrequent but essential Stagecoach service, the Perthshire village rolled up its sleeves and set up its own bus service with a mix of paid and volunteer drivers, connecting Glenfarg to neighbouring Kinross for GP appointments, shopping trips and onward journeys by public transport across the whole of Scotland.

CTA’s Chief Executive, Dr Victoria Armstrong, writes about the invaluable impact of CT Volunteers and why more people should get involved.

With this year’s National Volunteers’ Week upon us, we are reminded to reflect on volunteers’ significant and invaluable impact on the Community Transport sector throughout the UK. 

Drushti is a 22-year-old international student from Mumbai studying at the University of Bath.  Coming to the UK without her family and navigating University life alone has been daunting and Drushti often felt out of place and isolated.