Viva Lewes Issue #107 August 2015

community group
Community Transport
Making the district accessible
In the recent Lewes District Business Awards,
Community Transport for the Lewes Area (CTLA)
were named as finalists in the Access All Areas category,
in recognition of their contribution to improving
accessibility for people with disabilities.
They’re a charity based in Newhaven who have
been operating since 1995.
CTLA have a fleet of 19 accessible minibuses with
tail lifts or ramps, suitable for wheelchair users.
They are the largest provider of accessible transport
in the Lewes District, and expect to undertake
80,000 passenger journeys over the next year.
“Isolation, loneliness and lack of transport options
are issues we try to overcome every day,” Managing
Director Derek Barnett tells us. “We enable our
service users to access essential daily living, medical
services, local business centres, other amenities
and recreational and social activities.”
CTLA provide Dial-a-Ride (door to door) transport,
adult social care and school transport, weekend
and rural scheduled bus services, travel clubs
and group transport for other charities and social
groups such as the Scouts or Seniors Forums.
Dial-a-Ride is available for anyone for whom public
transport is unsuitable. It takes people to social
events, shops, lunch clubs or day centres, doctors,
hospital appointments, and other destinations, five
days a week, from 9am-2:30pm. You have to register
to use the service; fees are payable, but are very
reasonable.
“I and the people I travel with have no alternative
way of getting about,” says one CTLA user.
“CTLA gives us a life where we can socialise and
share meals with companions. It gives widows
and widowers a chance to mingle. It gives them
life.” Another says, “My husband has many health
problems including dementia and cancer. I am his
sole carer and the Community Transport driver is
marvellous – he helps him on and off the bus and
watches him carefully during his trip to a social
club, twice a week. I don’t have any worries about
him during this time and it enables me to reclaim
some time for myself which I use to volunteer at
my church, at a local hospice and mix with other
people.”
The CTLA Travel Club runs days out to many local
attractions including National Trust properties,
and the group also offers cost-effective bus hire to
community groups.
They run a number of bus services around the District
– and have recently extended these, for example
connecting residents and visitors with Firle and
Ditchling Beacon, after securing funding last year
from the South Downs National Park Authority.
They’re also currently exploring the possibility of
introducing a Shopmobility scheme to enable visitors
to Lewes to hire a mobility scooter.
CTLA are always looking for volunteers, particularly
drivers, and donations are gratefully received at localgiving.com/commtrans.
To volunteer or for more
information about any of their services, call 01273
517332 or email info@ctla.org.uk ctla.org.uk
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