Community Transport - Needs Survey
Overview
Bristol City Council is required to develop a new strategy for its support and commissioning of Community Transport services in the City. This is the first stage in the development of this strategy. The Council must measure the need for Community Transport both now and in the future. Part of this measurement is through a number of surveys:
1) A random sample survey of 20,000 households divided equally across all wards to see if they currently use or have a need to use Community Transport (3rd February).
2) Surveys of all the individual and group members of existing community transport providers that the council currently supports financially (during the next two weeks).
3) A General survey open to all residents of Bristol who want to take part (from 17th February onwards). The survey will be accessible online by clicking the link below on or after 17th February. Paper copies will be available in libraries and GP surgeries and from Neighbourhood Partnership Co-ordinators and Equalities Forums from February 24th
A further consultation on the options for a new strategy will be carried out, probably in the Autumn of 2012. The results of the further consultation will inform any decision by the Council on how the services will be commissioned in the future.
Why we are consulting
We are seeking your views as to whether you have a need for Community Transport in your household and your reasons for needing it.
The aim is to get as high a return as possible and be able to paint a clear picture of how the current provision serves residents and where there are gaps in the services, particularly for vulnerable people.
This information will help to decide how any new strategy might be shaped to provide the best service possible for the budget available.
What happens next
All the information gathered through the surveys, through contact with other agencies and from existing providers of Community Transport services will be collated and analysed to:
a) assess the need for the services,
b) understand the existing provision and user satisfaction with it,
c) understand the priorities for such services,
d) define the gap between need and provision, and
e) develop options for a strategy to provide the best service, to the most people with the right priorities.
The results should be published as background information in time for the consultation on any options for the future commissioning of the services.
