Replacing an accessible minibus for GCT

Aim

We want to replace an ageing minibuses to continue to provide a specialist, reliable, affordable and accesible community transport service

We want to replace an ageing minibuses to continue to provide a specialist, reliable, affordable and accessible community transport service

We have been operating since 1989 in our local area, providing vital transport for those that can't access public transport. We reduce social isolation and loneliness and promote independence and wellbeing.

We help individuals get around the local area and also to hospital appointments, we also do trips each month to different places.

We help community groups and local schools with transport to activities, days out, clubs and extra-curricular activities.

As part of our operation we also support the local authority with home to school transport to specialist schools.

We have been really fortunate to replace a minibus ourselves last year and to be successful with some grant funding in 2022, however we have 4 vehicles that are in need of replacement, we are seeing higher maintenance bills and larger issues with the buses mechanically. They are also the least environmentally friendly buses in the fleet, we have two buses we need to replace, a 2008 and 2013 vehicle, they have both done over 100,000 miles and whilst they have served us well we know they are not the best for our local environment and are costing us more with maintenance with larger issues due to age.

Our buses do over 140,000 miles a year and over 40,000 journeys, if we had to remove a bus from the fleet without replacing it, we would have to reduce the service we can offer.

Each year we do an annual survey with our passengers, at the end of 2025 

98% said GCT improves their quality of life, 98% said GCT improves social interaction, 92% said GCT makes them happier day to day, 98% feel treated with dignity and respect and 86% rated the service as excellent. Passengers overwhelmingly described GCT as reliable, caring, friendly and essential to daily life.

When replacing our minibuses, accessibility is really important to us, we have 2 Ring and Ride buses set up each day to carry 2 wheelchair passengers at a time, and for our group buses we can tailor the seating to accommodate wheelchairs as well as other mobility aids. We know what buses work best for our passengers in terms of inclusivity, comfort, accessibility and flexibility and this is really important when we look at replacing an older vehicle.

Please see what the service means to two of our passengers, Shirley and Anne.

Passenger Story: Meet Anne

Anne has been travelling with us around 10 years but in recent years has used us more frequently, sometimes everyday. She started using us more when her husband had to give up driving.

Anne travels every Monday to her club and every other Tuesday to Chipping Sodbury. 

Sometimes Anne uses us for shopping and goes on our trips and uses our volunteers for hospital appointments.

We asked Anne what would happen if she didn’t use GCT and she said ‘she doesn’t know what she would do without us’ When she visits the Armadillo Café on a Thursday she recommends us to people there. Using our transport has made Anne’s life easier, “I love to go out, if I didn’t have you I would feel very despondent, depressed and low. What keeps me going is knowing I’m going to get out in the next day or two to socialise.”

Passenger Story: Meet Shirley

Shirley first joined Green Community Travel 11 years ago with her husband Alan, initially to help them get to hospital appointments.

At the time, parking at the hospital was becoming very stressful, as Alan had dementia. 

Over time, Shirley started joining trips too and made friends with other passengers. She especially remembers one of the Christmas get-togethers fondly.

After Alan passed away and Shirley could no longer drive, Green Community Travel became an even more important part of life. She now uses the service regularly for medical appointments, trips and attending a club she has belonged to for many years.

Without Green Community Travel, she says life would be “miserable and very difficult.”

She says she loves the convenience, the friendly staff and “the fact they’ve always got time for a chat.” Most of all, she says:

“It gets me out and about, gives me company and something to look forward to.”

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 25th September 2026 at 1:07pm