BSIP Community Transport Service Grant Funding July 2024 Early Market Engagement

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to notify the market of a forthcoming market engagement event relating to grant funding available to Community Transport operators, as part of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) successful application for Phase 3 Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding allocation.

The BSIP seeks to integrate Community Transport (CT), Ring and Ride (R&R) and Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services in to the wider integrated public transport network.

The existing R&R and DRT services are tailored to provide travel for individuals.

These services are not currently designed and do not have the capacity to provide travel to group sessions designed for citizens with specific needs or requiring support such as Age Concern, Community Support Groups, Stroke Recovery & Rehabilitation, mental health support networks etc.

Due to the cost of transport a number of these groups are no longer meeting and supporting these citizens.

Whilst we can provide travel for individuals to these group activities, we can't guarantee it due to the limited capacity and demand responsive nature of existing services.

We will provide dedicated additional capacity through our 3rd Sector partners to meet this demand to July 2026.

Benefit will be measured through reviewing passenger numbers service availability and sustainability / re-introduction of group activities.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is the public body responsible for co-ordinating transport services in the West Midlands and it is an executive body of the WMCA.

TfWM is announcing opportunities for third sector Community Transport operators to submit their proposals for community transport services that benefit individuals, groups and organisations.

Proposals should include, but are not limited to: - Door-to-door transport, using community transport, to enable people for whom lack of transport is a barrier to participate in community activities and groups, providing some social contact and connectivity (both whilst using the transport and at the destination) in the shorter-term and improved well-being in the longer term. - Regular pre-bookable shoppers services, taking people for whom lack of transport is a barrier to carrying out everyday tasks, such as shopping and visits to vital services. - Shared transport to take service users to regular day centres or clubs, where lack of suitable transport, or lack of confidence in using existing services is a barrier to their participation in these regular social activities enhancing their quality of life.