... in Hertfordshire. Transport Services for disabled, older people and those with limited mobility...

Transcription

1 Services for disabled, older people and those with limited mobility... If you require further copies of this publication please contact: CDA for Herts Birchwood Avenue Hatfield Herts AL10 OPS tel If you, your family or a neighbour would like information produced in another language or format please call in Hertfordshire This publication was created by the Hertfordshire Partnership to Support Independent Travel August 2009 Designed and Produced by Ware, Herts. Tel:

2 Contents How to use the guide... 1 contacts Voluntary Introduction - Choice This brief guide is intended to provide information on passenger transport provision in Hertfordshire and promote access and transport for those who find it difficult to, or cannot use passenger transport. The guide lists the range of local voluntary, health and door to door transport services operating in Hertfordshire to assist residents, with limited mobility or limited choice of transport, to access local services and facilities. Passenger Information Hertfordshire travel information is available in a variety of formats: area travel guides village timetables epips (Electronic Passenger Information Points) Intalink website: 1

3 National Travel Information Traveline Tel: or visit National Rail enquiries Tel: or visit For Customers requiring assistance at train stations. First Capital Connect Special Assistance Helpline (24 hours notice required if possible) Tel: Textphone: London Midland Assisted Travel (48 hours notice required if possible) Tel: Information and contact numbers and other details may change from time to time. National concessionary fares scheme A new national concessionary travel scheme was implemented in April 2008 which entitles those aged 60 or over (or eligible disabled) free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in England. In addition, Hertfordshire pass holders will be able to travel at any time on bus services across Hertfordshire. This scheme is administered by the District and Borough Councils. You should apply to the District or Borough Council to which you pay your Council Tax for your free pass. For contact details please see page 7. National Express East Anglia Accessibility Enquiries Tel: Textphone: or visit disabled_passengers All rail companies advise passengers requiring assistance, to inform them of the journey details at least 24 hours in advance of the day of travel. 2 3

4 Notes Please use this page to make any notes Voluntary 4

5 Hertfordshire County Council Numbers: HCC Customer Services Centre: General Enquiries Tel: Textphone: or visit Hertfordshire Travellink: E & N Herts Tel: West Herts Tel: provides information and assessment for health transport. Disability Information Bureau: Tel: From 0208 and area code Tel: Textphone: From 0208 and area code Textphone: or visit: Passenger Unit: Tel: or visit Intalink: Hertfordshire passenger transport information, visit 6 Borough And District Council Borough of Broxbourne Housing & Community Care Dept Borough Offices Churchgate Cheshunt Tel: EN8 9XG Dacorum Borough Council Civic Centre Hemel Hempstead Tel: HP1 1HH East Herts Council Customer Service Team The Council Offices The Causeway Bishop s Stortford Tel: CM23 2EN Hertsmere Borough Council Democratic Services Civic Offices Elstree Way Borehamwood Tel: WD6 1WA Out of Hours Emergencies Voluntary

6 North Hertfordshire District Council Town Lodge Gernon Road Letchworth Tel: SG6 3HN St Albans City and District Council Civic Centre St Peter s Street St Albans Tel: AL1 3JE Out of Hours Emergencies Stevenage Borough Council Daneshill House Danestrete Stevenage Tel: SG1 1HN Three Rivers District Council Three Rivers House Northway Rickmansworth Tel: WD3 1RL Watford Borough Council Planning & ation Dept Watford Town Hall Watford Tel: WD17 3EX 8 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Leisure and Community Services Council Offices Campus West Welwyn Garden City Tel: AL8 6BX 9 Voluntary

8 Community and Voluntary This is used to describe the range of schemes that operate transport:- for residents who have limited mobility operating in rural areas of the county providing door to door transport for individuals or groups Community transport is usually provided by volunteer drivers using their own vehicles or driving accessible vehicles (people carriers and minibuses) operated by the community/voluntary scheme. They can include shuttle buses, voluntary car schemes and accessible taxis. Schemes operate to serve local residents and may have local rules, residents usually pre-book the journey but some schemes operate in specific areas or on set days/times. If you are not certain which scheme will be suitable, contact the local schemes in your area and the coordinators will help to identify whether their transport scheme can best assist you or direct you to an alternative. If the service displays this symbol then it means that the vehicle is accessible to wheelchair users with low floor access or adapted with a ramp or tail lift. (Note: some schemes will provide transport to wheelchair users who can transfer from their wheelchair to a seat.) Car MPV (People Carrier) Minibus Minibus with tail-lift or ramp Voluntary 12 13

9 Notes Please use this page to make any notes Community & Voluntary 14

10 Voluntary There are many community and voluntary transport schemes available for you to use if you are unable to use regular public transport. This section lists both the countywide and district services. Contact details are listed below and on the following pages. If you should need further assistance then you can contact the Hertfordshire County Council Customer Service Centre on or visit: to Healthcare Some hospital transport schemes require a referral from a GP/Hospital ward/clinic. Free hospital transport is only provided for those with a medical need. However, if you are on a low income you may be eligible for a refund on eligible travel costs. County schemes such as the British Red Cross and Hertfordshire Action on Disability and most borough and district voluntary car schemes can be used for hospital or doctor/medical visits. Nearly all schemes, including the Health shuttles, can be used by both patients and visitors if there is no alternative transport. Please check with Travellink or contact the schemes direct below and under the Borough and district listing in this publication. 16 Lister Hospital Health Shuttle (plus intersite transport between Lister and QE11) Broxbourne Health Shuttle (Chase Farm, Princess Alexandra, QE11, Lister, Hertford and Barnet Hospitals) Lister Hospital Car Service (E & N Herts NHS Trust) QE11 Hospital Car Service (E & N Herts NHS Trust) West Herts Hospitals Car Scheme (Hemel Hempstead and St. Albans City Hospitals) West Herts Hospitals Intersite - free (Hemel Hempstead, St. Albans and Watford Hospitals) Travellink Centre (East and North Herts) (incl. Lister and QE11 Hospitals) Travellink Centre (West Herts) (incl. Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St. Albans Hospitals) 17 Voluntary

11 Countywide Services The services listed below are those which are available countywide. Please contact the individual services to find out more. Hertfordshire Dial-a-Ride This is a door to door transport service for those who are unable to use regular public transport utilising wheelchair accessible minibuses. Tel: dialaride@hertscc.gov.uk British Red Cross - covers East Herts, Broxbourne, Welwyn-Hatfield and St Albans. British Red Cross provides transport and escort services for people who are unable to use public transport to medical and other appointments. Further details on these services are available on their website. Tel: c.cromar@redcross.org.uk 18 Hertfordshire Action on Disability (HAD) A seven-strong fleet of adapted, fully accessible vehicles transporting disabled people to work, doctor s appointments, hospitals, shopping, holidays and other leisure activities 24 hours a day. Four self-drive Citroen Dispatch Multi Purpose Vehicles are also available. These are ideal for family holidays as well as day trips and shorter journeys. HAD's transport service is available 24 hours a day and can be booked to take disabled people wherever they want to go. Tel: transport@hadnet.org.uk Barbara Bus Fund The Barbara Bus Fund has a small fleet of adapted vehicles for wheelchair users. The vehicles may be borrowed by individuals or groups, care homes or schools for up to two weeks at a time. You will be able to use this service if you are dependent on a wheelchair and cannot transfer to use cars, taxis or public transport. Tel: office@barbarabus.com 19 Voluntary

12 Age Concern Hertfordshire Age Concern Hertfordshire offers a wide range of services for older people across Hertfordshire. Tel: info@acherts.org.uk County Services The County Council's County Services run 167 wheelchair accessible coach built minibus vehicles providing transport for 65 day centres and family support centres throughout Hertfordshire. These vehicles can be available for group hire off peak (between and Monday to Friday and all day weekends). For more information call: Local or District Community/Voluntary Services In addition to the countywide services listed, there are a number of services available within each of the districts. These are listed below under the relevant district. You should contact the individual service for more information. All the services are listed on-line at: 20 Community Services Broxbourne WRVS car scheme Tel: Dacorum Community Action Dacorum (DCVS) Tel: Tel: (direct line) Fax: pete@communityactiondacorum.org.uk Kings Langley Good Neighbour Assistance Tel: Markyate/Flamstead Care Group Tel: East Herts Buntingford Action for Social Help (BASH) Tel: Bishops Stortford Minibus Trust (BSMT) Tel: WRVS Car Scheme Tel: Voluntary

13 Sawbridgeworth CVS community bus Sawbridgeworth Town Council Tel: Hertsmere Bushey Old People s Welfare Tel: Hertsmere Community Tel: Potters Bar Fellowship of Service Tel: Potters Bar Assisting Disability (PoBAD) Tel: Bushey and Oxhey Voluntary Care Tel: Roundabout Tel: roundaboutherts@btconnect.com North Herts Health Shuttle Tel: North Herts Voluntary Service Tel: Royston & District Community Tel: Hitchin Helping Hands Tel: Letchworth Garden City Heritage Tel: Kimpton Village Helpline Tel: React Disability Group Tel: Codicote Mayday Tel: St Albans Harpenden Helping Hands Tel: Redbourn Care Group Tel: Sandridge Parish Council Tel: Shopper bus St Albans Association for the Disabled Tel: St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme Tel: Wheathampstead Community Group Tel: Voluntary

14 Stevenage Stevenage CVS Tel: Stevenage Borough Council Tel: React Disability Group Tel: Three Rivers Watford Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) Tel: Roundabout Tel: Rickmansworth area care scheme Tel: Chorleywood area care scheme Tel: Welwyn/Hatfield Welwyn Hatfield Voluntary Service (also known as Welwyn Hatfield CVS) Tel: / Welwyn Hatfield Council for Voluntary Service Tel: Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (also Shopper and Post Hopper) Tel: Watford Bushey and Oxhey Voluntary Care Tel: Watford Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) Tel: Roundabout Tel: Other information If you would like more information on any other services in your local area please contact your district council on one of the numbers listed on page 7. Shopmobility For information and contact details on the various shopmobility schemes available when shopping, please use the details below. The National Federation of Shopmobility Tel: Web: 25 Voluntary

16 Travel by Bus National Bus Pass The national bus pass now allows anyone aged 60 or over and eligible disabled people under 60 to travel on local buses throughout England for free. A local bus is considered as any vehicle which is not a coach (check with individual operators if you are unsure). You can use your bus pass in Hertfordshire 24 hours a day (if a service is operating), other counties may have restrictions (normally after 9.30am). To obtain information or to apply for a National Bus Pass you need to contact your local council (see ) Companion Pass A free companion pass may be available for those who need to accompany an individual when travelling. To find out more please contact your local district council. For your family The Intalink Explorer ticket allows a day s unlimited travel for any four people on the county s bus network. A group ticket and single traveller ticket can be bought on the first bus that a family member boards. For more information you can contact or visit For information regarding taking prams/pushchairs or small children on the bus network you will need to 28 contact the bus operator concerned. You can find out their number by phoning or by looking on the bottom of the relevant timetable. Information Intalink, a partnership between Hertfordshire County Council, the district councils and bus and rail operators in Hertfordshire can provide you with all the information you will need to be able to use public transport. For timetables, maps, journey planning and a lot more visit or contact them on The partnership also produce seven Area Travel Guides which are available free of charge. Area 1: Watford, Bushey and Rickmansworth Area 2: Hemel Hempstead, Berkhampsted and Tring Area 3: Harpenden, St Albans & Borehamwood Area 4: Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Potters Bar Area 5: Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and Baldock Area 6: Hertford, the Lea Valley and Cuffley Area 7: Bishop s Stortford, Buntingford and Royston The relevant guide will be available from your local library, tourist information office or council offices. Alternatively you can request one from Intalink on or by ing feedback.ptu@hertscc.gov.uk. All the information is available on the Intalink website 29 Voluntary

17 Intalink promotional vehicle The Intalink promotional bus visits various towns in Hertfordshire to distribute the Area Travel Guides and gives you an opportunity to ask questions. To find out when the bus is in your area, please phone or visit Journey Planning The national traveline service can help you plan a journey within Hertfordshire, the southeast or nationally. This service is available through the Intalink website ( or by calling Please note that calls from BT landlines cost 10p per minute, other providers charges may vary. Using a bus If you are using the bus for the first time then below is some helpful information which will make your journey easier. At the bus stop All Hertfordshire s bus stops are request - this means you will need to indicate to the bus driver that you want to board the bus, do this by clearly holding your arm out or indicate in another way if possible. Boarding a bus Be ready ensure you have your bus pass out to show the driver or money to pay a fare. Travel by Rail Enquiries For specific rail enquiries then you can use National Rail Enquiries by calling or by visiting Older People/Disabled Rail Cards Most rail companies offer a discount for those aged 60 or over or eligible disabled people. An annual fee may apply. For information contact your local rail station or the rail operator to which it applies. 30 Getting off a bus You need to let the driver know when you wish to leave the bus there are push bells situated all around the vehicles, ensure you ring the bell well before you reach your bus stop. Wait until the bus stops before leaving your seat. What to do if you are unsure of where to get off the bus When boarding let the driver know you are unsure, ask him/her to let you know when you reach your destination and try and sit close to the front of the bus. Be aware at peak times this may not be easy for him/her to remember. 31 Voluntary

18 Low floor access Buses are now available with low floor access, some of which can be lowered upon request. You can contact the bus operator before you travel to check if this facility is available, though due to mechanical breakdowns, this may not always be guaranteed. Complaints In most cases you need to contact the operator of the service. Before you make contact, ensure you have the details required. Keep your bus ticket and know where and when you boarded your bus. If you have the bus registration (found on the front and rear of the bus) or driver s name or number this would also be helpful. If you are unsure, contact Hertfordshire County Council Passenger Unit for advice. Lost property Contact the individual bus operator (see below) Operator Contact Details All bus and rail operator contact details can be obtained from Intalink by visiting or by phoning If you are reporting a problem then please have the time and service number ready. 32