Community transport: where and how to access it

There are a number of community transport organisations supporting people in our branch communities.

Community transport is part of the voluntary sector and plays a key role in filling gaps in service where public transport is not available, providing a lifeline in both rural and urban areas. It offers safe, accessible, cost-effective, transport run by the community for the community. There are many types, including car clubs, community minibuses, dial-a-ride, lift share, taxi share and voluntary car schemes.

Some groups offer services just for their members, others are open to the public. It can take disabled people to work, children to school, sick people to healthcare and older people to the shops. The Community Transport Association has a search facility for all community-run transport services in England. 

Use the buttons below to jump to your area.

Abingdon Alton Andover Basingstoke Didcot Hungerford Newbury Thatcham Winchester

Abingdon

Oxfordshire specific online searches can be done at Livewell Oxfordshire.

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s) 
Abingdon & District Volunteer Centre Car Scheme Abingdon 01235 522428 (10am-12:30pm only) Taking people to health-related appointments. Whoever needs help due to challenged mobility.

Alton

Organisation Areas(s) covered How to book Details of service(s)
Four Marks Care Four Marks 
(destinations and costs here)
07393538152   Volunteers provide transport for people in Four Marks unable to drive themselves and who may need a lift to non-emergency medical appointments with their doctor, dentist, hospital etc.
Call and Go East Hampshire Alton, Four Marks, Petersfield, Liss, Liphook, Medstead, Whitehill and Bordon 01420 475759 or email Call and Go can come and get you from home, or drive you between locations surrounding Alton. The vehicles are fully accessible and the drivers are safety trained. Fares are cheaper than the local bus and taxi services.

Andover

A full list of community travel services in the Test Valley can be found here.

Basingstoke

There are a number of neighbourcare providers in the borough. Search the community transport database to find the service you require, or contact one of the providers below.

Organisation Area(s) covered How to book Details of service(s)
Dial-a-ride Basingstoke  Basingstoke. Kingsclere, Bramley, Tadley, Overton  01256 462101 or 01256 574401 Runs town and village services into Basingstoke. The service cannot provide hospital transportation. Bookings can be made 3 days in advance for travel in and around Basingstoke
Neighbourcare Basingstoke  Basingstoke, Tadley & Sherfield-on-Loddon 01256 423855 Provide the elderly with accompanied transport service to hospital and medical appointments and to the shops or clubs and more. They suggest a donation for the trip and accept HCC travel vouchers as well. They also provide befriending.

Didcot

Oxfordshire specific online searches can be done at Livewell Oxfordshire

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s)
Didcot Volunteer Drivers Didcot and 17 surrounding villages 01235 816709 Bookable journeys for those who have no personal transport and are unable to use public transport to reach their appointments. Their volunteer drivers receive their expenses from the service user at the end of each journey. Volunteer drivers will accompany service users throughout their appointments (if required) and wait to bring them safely back home.
Going Forward Buses CIC Wallingford, Goring, Watlington, Reading, Didcot, Berinsfield No need to book. Timetable service.
Driving Miss Daisy Didcot and the surrounding areas

07308 475489

Companion drivers collect people from their homes and drive them to their destination. All vehicles are mobility enabled and accessible. They also offer companionship to lonely or vulnerable service users. 

Hungerford

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s)
CHAIN Handybus Hungerford, Kintbury   01488 683727 The Handybus provides a transport service on a door-to-door basis for members of local formal and informal groups including local charities.
Kintbury Handibus Shopping Service Kintbury 01488 657119, Monday - Friday, 9am - 11am For residents of Kintbury, who require help with transport to go shopping, fortnightly door-to-door shopping trips to Newbury and monthly trips to Hungerford and Marlborough.

Newbury

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s)
Community transport HandyBus - Volunteer Centre West Berkshire Newbury & Thatcham 01635 37111 or email  Minibus transport for anyone who finds it difficult to use public transport and would like to go shopping or to social meetings. Minibuses have low steps, passengers lifts to enable wheelchair bound passengers to be carried.
Newbury Volunteer Driver and Car Scheme Newbury, Shaw, Speen, Donnington, Greenham

01635 49004

3-4 days notice

Provide transportation for people who find it difficult to use public transport, the permanently or temporarily disabled, and children and families.

We offer the service for regular journeys – going to clubs or out-patient treatment, for example – and also for one-off visits such as to the doctor’s surgery or shops.

Downland Volunteer Group Car & Handybus  15 downland villages

07561 825 302 or email

Minibus providing regular weekly shopping trips to Newbury, Didcot and Wantage. Standard fare of £4 return for all trips that is used to offset the running costs of the bus.

They also provide private car transport for doctors' appointments, hospital visits, opticians, dentist and other appointments. 

Lambourn Valley Volunteer Group Lambourn, Eastbury, Great Shefford, East Garston, Shefford Woodlands, Woodlands St. Mary & vicinity  01488 71536 stating when and where your appointment is and if you have any mobility constraints which may require extra time.  Door to door transport to healthcare appointments to the Lambourn surgery or to a  hospital appointment in Swindon, Oxford or Newbury.  

Thatcham

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s)
Community transport HandyBus - Volunteer Centre West Berkshire Newbury & Thatcham 01635 37111 or email  Minibus transport for anyone who finds it difficult to use public transport and would like to go shopping or to social meetings. Minibuses have low steps, passengers lifts to enable wheelchair bound passengers to be carried.
Thatcham Volunteer Bureau Community Car Thatcham, Cold Ash, Crookham, Hermitage, Ashmore Green and Woolhampton 01635 862306 A group providing transport to the doctor, dentist, hospital or shops or to visit friends and relatives for those who struggle with public transport.

Winchester

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s)
Wheels to Work Scheme Winchester, East Hampshire, Test Valley Email A moped loan scheme for people aged between 16-25 who do not have access to private or public transport and who need to get to work, training, apprenticeship or an interview. You must obtain a provisial licence for a motorbike, but the bike is included fully insured and taxed. 
Community Dial-a-Ride Winchester and surrounding villages 01962 852602

Dial-a-Ride is a community transport service that can be used by anyone with a mobility or sensory impairment. Customers do not have to be registered disabled and can use the service for social or shopping trips, however they can not be used for hospital appointments.

Each vehicle is equipped with a lift or ramp to assist wheelchair and walking frame users. The cost of the service is similar to bus fares.

Wokingham

Organisation Area(s) covered  How to book Details of service(s)
Keep Mobile Accessible Transport Wokingham and Bracknell Forest 0345 544 0850 or email

Offering dial-a-ride services as an alternative to taxis and public transport for shopping, doctors appointments, etc.

Bookings must be made a minimum of 2 days in advance.

Wokingham Volunteer Centre Community Transport Scheme Wokingham and Earley areas (RG6, RG40, RG41) 0118 978 2446 or email

The Transport Scheme helps those residents who are unable to use public transport or cannot drive themselves. This low-cost service takes clients to medical and dental appointments around the district and beyond and is run on a membership basis, which is open to everyone.

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