A lack of integration with other transport modes has been a long-standing issue for our sector. Community Transport is too often sidelined in strategic transport planning and treated in isolation when local bus, rail, tram or ferry services are being designed.
In 2021, as part of our Mapping Scotland project, we asked our CTA members in Scotland whether they felt ‘integrated with other transport networks’. Only 21% said ‘yes’.
This week, I had the privilege of representing the Community Transport Association members at the Transport Committee’s ongoing inquiry, Buses Connecting Communities. The inquiry is investigating how areas have responded to bus service cuts, particularly through Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) and community transport solutions. It was a valuable opportunity to highlight the vital role of community transport (CT) and ensure that the voices of our members were heard at the heart of government.
The last State of the Sector report for Northern Ireland, published by the Community Transport Association (CTA) in 2010, has now been updated with the release of the Mapping Northern Ireland State of the Sector 2025 report. This new report reflects the ongoing research into the sector's developments.
This vital research was made possible thanks to funding from Dormant Assets NI, with special thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, who continue to support and engage with the project.
The CTA (Community Transport Association) is delighted to announce it will be leading an exciting new research project, 'Creating connections: Reimagining inclusive transport for disabled children and young people’, funded by the Motability Foundation.
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.
Kellie Armstrong MLA on behalf of the Community Transport Association, is pleased to invite you to a very special event this February to mark the launch of our Mapping Northern Ireland Report.
Join us as we unveil the findings from our latest research and highlight the positive impact of Community Transport across Northern Ireland.
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday 25th February 2025
Time: 11:00AM-13:00PM
Location: Long Gallery Parliament Buildings, Stormont
We’re delighted to invite CTA members in Scotland to this special online meeting with Jim Fairlie MSP, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity.
Mr Fairlie has responsibility for the Scottish Government’s policies on key areas of transport and rural, including Community Transport, bus services, concessionary fares and island connectivity.
Join us on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 13 May between 9.30am and 10.30am for a unique opportunity to:
We were delighted to host the first Community Building Session of 2025 earlier this week which offered CTA members an opportunity to influence a brand new research project.
Students from Manchester University are focusing on 'Perceptions of Community Transport' in a new study and joined the online session to learn from CTA members' experiences, challenges and insights.
The session covered:
It was a real pleasure to be alongside a really engaged and enthusiastic group of delegates at the Transport Smart Class for Wales & the West in Cardiff on 5th December. The attendees, keynote speakers and innovation sponsors were all focused on how to take the latest innovative practice and embed it to make our transport networks more effective, integrated, accessible, and sustainable.