Nottinghamshire Community transport

County advice overview

Community transport in the city of Nottingham and the wider county of Nottinghamshire helps to connect residents without access to conventional transport to surrounding areas.

If you have difficulties due to age, disability or a lack of public transport services, you can search online for your local community transport provider, on the Nottinghamshire County Council website.

Key tips

It is important to plan your use of community transport in advance. Services are often run by volunteers and pre-booking is essential. You may wish to consider:

• Community transport providers are often in high demand, so it is best to book your journey several days in advance if you can.
• You may need to register with the service in advance of your first booking and a membership fee sometimes applies in addition to travel costs.
• At the time of booking, inform the provider of any mobility and accessibility needs you may have and which equipment you intend to travel with. 
• Some operators offer a discount or are even free with a valid bus pass, so it is worth obtaining one, if you are eligible, even if you never catch a regular bus.
• Not all Dial-a-Ride schemes can take you to hospital appointments or day care centres. These appointments can be arranged by your doctor, the hospital, social services, or you may be able to use a community car scheme.

Operators

To search for local community transport schemes in your area, you can enter your postcode on the Nottinghamshire County Council website.

Easylink

Operated by the CT4N Charitable Trust on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, Easylink minibus services provide transport for people who struggle to use the existing bus and tram services. 

The Easylink routes are offered in Greater Nottinghamshire and can travel anywhere within 10 miles of Nottingham City centre.

Vehicles are fully accessible and door-to-door support is available. If you have a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass issued by Nottinghamshire County Council, you will be automatically eligible to join the scheme. 

You can find further information hereor contact Easylink on 0115 969 1801.

Locallink

Locallink bus services support the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities, and those living in isolated communities in and around Nottingham, by providing direct links to shops, health and leisure facilities, and community centres. 

Some services are ‘demand responsive’ which means you can call the free phone booking line and arrange for the bus to pick you up close to your home.

More information on these services can be found on the Nottingham City Council website. 

Ravenshead Community Transport

Wheelchair accessible minibuses provide community transport for people living in Ravenshead and the surrounding area. Booking is required for shopping trips. 

Contact 01623 490888.

Further information can be found here.

Travel costs

Community transport costs can vary depending on the service provided. 

Many schemes are run by not-for-profit organisations and only charge based on their actual operating costs. So, the fare you pay will be competitive with public transport costs in most cases. Fares are much cheaper than taxis and there is sometimes a reduced rate for bus pass holders.

Check with the individual provider when booking your trip, or browse their website, to receive an estimate of costs.

Special assistance

Assistance is variable for each service. Information can be found on an operator’s website or by contacting them by telephone.

When booking any community transport in your area, be clear about your mobility requirements and check in advance that the service is able to accommodate your mobility equipment.

Travelling with mobility equipment

Check with the individual community transport scheme, regarding travelling with mobility equipment. Services vary depending on the type and size of equipment that can be carried, due to space.  

Most minibuses are wheelchair accessible, although may have limited capacity for wheelchairs.