The Community Transport Association (CTA) has published a new report about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Scotland’s community transport operators.
The in-depth report looks at how community transport providers in Scotland have been coping, adapting and innovating, sharing information gathered through conversations with CTA members, as well as sharing the incredible impact their work has been having on the communities they serve.
Key points:
- While all core community transport services have seen a downturn in numbers, dial-a-ride and particularly group hire services have been the most heavily impacted by the pandemic, raising concerns for the long-term sustainability of CTs in Scotland.
- Some organisations suffered from a cut in local authority grant and contract funds, despite encouragement to maintain funding at pre-coronavirus levels, demonstrating the financial pressures that the pandemic has placed on local authority finances.
- Many CTs have adapted their services not only to serve the needs of their local communities, but also to support the NHS to access information on running covid-safe transport, and to help key workers reach the frontline.