Proposed changes to assisted transport policies are set to be approved by Bridgend Council’s Cabinet later this week (pdf).
Assisted transport is provided to adults in the county with mobility problems (but who don’t live in residential care) to access community services such as day services.
This doesn’t include transport to access health services – which are provided via GPs/NHS.
The new policy (pdf) will mean that assisted transport would only be provided by BCBC if there’s a proven need for it. Any transport provided would then be tailored to meet the person’s specific requirements and the aim is to ensure that council-supported transport is prioritised to those “who need it the most”.
A public consultation was held last autumn. Following recommendations from a council scrutiny committee, People First Bridgend (a local learning disability advocacy group) was brought in to seek more views.
The views were mixed. More people disagreed with the proposal than agreed – though the largest group of people “didn’t know” whether the policy changes would be good or bad.
Some of the other concerns raised include the difficulty in getting bus passes for companions/personal assistants, a general lack of public transport options (if public transport is deemed to be suitable) and becoming over-reliant on friends and family for transport when they might not always be available.
Subject to Cabinet approval, the new policy will come into force on 1st May 2025.
