Community transport
If you can't access public transport, you can get access to a bus or a car service via community transport. They're locally run and managed transport schemes for specific groups or communities.
Parishes, charities, and community groups can set up a community transport scheme to give those who cannot easily access other public transport access to a bus or car service.
This might be a local village bus to transport villagers to the nearest town for shopping. Or a volunteer car service to take people to medical appointments.
We have no statutory obligation to provide community transport schemes, but support and encourage communities to run their own services where there is a need for transport. We can also offer advice, signposting and networking and award community transport grants to help establish, improve or extend a scheme.
Services for all areas
Kent Karrier is a dial-a-ride service. It will take you from your home to set locations, such as the nearest town centre or supermarket.
Patient transport is a service provided by G4S on behalf of the NHS Integrated Care Board for Kent and Medway.
They can help if your medical or physical condition means you cannot use public transport, get a lift, or drive yourself to, and from, your NHS appointment.
Call 0800 096 0211 to book.
Services by district
Availability of other community transport services depends on the area you live in:
Age UK Ashford
Ashford Volunteer Centre
The Ashford Volunteer Centre operates a transport service utilising volunteer drivers. Along with an annual membership, users are also asked to pay a mileage and admin cost.
Wealden Wheels
Wealden Wheels are a not for profit community transport company providing flexible and affordable transport to groups and organisations in rural villages around Ashford.
They are based in Pluckley and operate a small fleet of minibuses. For an annual membership fee, local groups, clubs, schools, other organisations and families can hire the minibuses, either on a self-drive basis or with one of the volunteer drivers.
Canterbury Volunteer Centre
The Canterbury Volunteer Centre operates a transport service utilising volunteer drivers. Along with an annual membership, users are also asked to pay a mileage and admin cost.
Whitstable Volunteer Car Service - Red Zebra
Volunteer Car Service serves the Whitstable area, mainly within the CT5 postcode. It costs £10 to join (or £15 for couples) and is charged at 45p per mile from the volunteer driver’s house (£6.50 minimum charge). All drivers are DBS checked.
Age UK Kent Rivers
Age UK Kent Rivers offers a number of services and events in Dartford, Gravesham, Swale, and Medway and can provide transport to their hubs and events. They also provide a shopping service.
Kent Coast Volunteering
The Kent Coast Volunteering (KCV) service is available for both medical and social trips. The service can help with shopping, to taking you to your appointment even if it is not local, for example to a London hospital, or to visit relatives. There is a membership fee, a mileage cost of 50p and a small admin charge for each trip.
Call 01304 38 05 13 to book. KCV asks that you provide 3 working days' notice for a new journey request, but they will always try to accommodate emergencies.
Age UK Hythe and Lyminge
Visit the Age UK Hythe and Lyminge site
Kent Coast Volunteering
The Kent Coast Volunteering (KCV) service is available for both medical and social trips. The service can help with shopping, to taking you to your appointment even if it is not local, for example to a London hospital, or to visit relatives. There is a membership fee, a mileage cost of 50p and a small admin charge for each trip.
Call 01304 38 05 13 to book. KCV asks that you provide 3 working days' notice for a new journey request, but they will always try to accommodate emergencies.
Age UK Kent Rivers
Age UK Kent Rivers offers a number of services and events in Dartford, Gravesham, Swale and Medway and can provide transport to their hubs and events. They also provide a shopping service.
Bearsted and Detling Shopper Bus
The Bearsted and Detling Shopper Bus is a scheduled community bus which runs between Detling, Bearsted and Maidstone on Monday to Friday.
Compaid Out and About service
Compaid provide a transport service for people who don’t have their own car and struggle to use public transport. You can book in advance for travel within Maidstone and pay a set fee, with driver assistance if required.
Involve Kent
Involve’s community transport service is a community based driving scheme for people living in the Maidstone and Malling area that helps people who cannot manage on public transport because of age, frailty, illness, disability or injury.
Involve can provide trips to places like hospitals, foot clinics, day centres, shops, visits to friends or anywhere else you’d like to go. Drivers are volunteers and use their own cars. They provide assistance with shopping trips and outings, such as seaside trips and Christmas markets, and have a minibus which is available for hire to other community groups.
Find out about community transport in Medway.
Age UK Sevenoaks and Tonbridge
Visit the AgeUK Sevenoaks and Tonbridge site.
Compaid Out and About service
Compaid provide a transport service for people who don’t have their own car and struggle to use public transport. You can book in advance for travel within Sevenoaks and pay a set fee, with driver assistance if required.
Edenbridge Voluntary Transport Service
Edenbridge Voluntary Transport Service is a volunteer car service based near the day centre at Edenbridge hospital. Volunteer drivers use their own cars to take people in the area unable to use public transport, to and from medical appointments at hospitals, clinics, surgeries, opticians, dentists etc. All drivers are DBS checked. Call 01732 865353 for more information.
IMAGO Dial-2-Drive
Dial 2 Drive (D2D) is a community transport scheme for people unable to access public transport due to older age, illness or disability living in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, and the surrounding areas.
Volunteer drivers use their own cars to take clients to medical and social appointments. This includes appointments at local surgeries, hospitals, day centres, hairdressers, opticians, lunch clubs and shopping.
Sevenoaks Volunteer Transport Group
The Sevenoaks Volunteer Transport Group provides a coordinated low-cost local transport scheme catering for elderly, infirm and disabled residents needing assistance with transport to attend medical appointments at clinics and hospitals and activities such as clubs for the disabled. Volunteers provide the transport, using their private cars.
Age UK Kent Rivers
Age UK Kent Rivers offers a number of services and events in Dartford, Gravesham, Swale and Medway and can provide transport to their hubs and events. They also provide a shopping service.
Faversham Hopper Community Bus Service
The Faversham Hopper is a fully accessible timetabled service running between Faversham and the surrounding villages, Monday to Fridays.
Sheppey Wheels Sheppey Wheels
Sheppey Wheels is a membership-based community transport scheme which offers members day trips to places such as garden centres, market towns, museums and shopping centres. Day trips are listed in the Sheppey Matters newsletter and it is also possible to hire a vehicle with disabled access and a trained driver.
Stockbury community bus
The Stockbury community bus runs 3 times each week to local shopping centres.
Swale CVS (Volunteer Transport Scheme)
The Swale Volunteer Centre Volunteer Transport Scheme is available to all local residents who have difficulty using public transport due to accessibility, times, mobility and costs.
The Volunteer Transport Scheme will help you to attend essential appointments such as doctor, dentist and hospital.
Kent Coast Volunteering
The Kent Coast Volunteering (KCV)service is available for both medical and social trips. The service can help with shopping, to taking you to your appointment even if it is not local, for example to a London hospital, or to visit relatives. There is a membership fee, a mileage cost of 45p and a small admin charge for each trip.
Call 01304 38 05 13 to book. KCV asks that you provide 3 to 4 days notice for a new journey request, but they will always try to accommodate emergencies.
AgeUK Sevenoaks and Tonbridge
Visit the AgeUK Sevenoaks and Tonbridge site.
Community Car Service
The Community Car Service provides safe transport for people who cannot use public transport. This can be for a variety of reasons including mobility issues, mental disorders, dementia or infirmness due to old age. We will take the customer to wherever they need to travel to. Medical appointments to doctors, dentists and hospitals including all London hospitals. Social inclusion, day centres, lunch clubs, hairdressers, visiting loved ones that are away from home and shopping.
Compaid Out and About service
Compaid provide a transport service for people who don’t have their own car and struggle to use public transport. You can book in advance for travel within Tonbridge and Malling and pay a set fee, with driver assistance if required.
IMAGO Dial-2-Drive
Dial 2 Drive (D2D) is a community transport scheme for people unable to access public transport due to older age, illness or disability living in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, and the surrounding areas.
Volunteer drivers use their own cars to take clients to medical and social appointments. This includes appointments at local surgeries, hospitals, day centres, hairdressers, opticians, lunch clubs and shopping.
Involve Kent
Involve’s community transport service is a community-based driving scheme for people living in the Maidstone and Malling area that helps people who cannot manage on public transport because of age, frailty, illness, disability or injury.
Involve can provide trips to places like hospitals, foot clinics, day centres, shops, visits to friends or anywhere else you’d like to go. Drivers are volunteers and use their own cars. They provide assistance with shopping trips and outings, such as seaside trips and Christmas markets, and have a minibus which is available for hire to other community groups.
Community Car Service
The Community Car Service provides safe transport for people who cannot use public transport. This can be for a variety of reasons including mobility issues, mental disorders, dementia or infirmness due to old age. The Community Care Service will take passengers to wherever they need to travel to, such as:
- medical appointments including visits to the doctors, dentists or hospital (including all London hospitals)
- social activities including day centres, lunch clubs, hairdressers, visiting loved ones that are away from home
- shopping.
Compaid Out and About service
Compaid provide a transport service for people who don’t have their own car and struggle to use public transport. You can book in advance for travel within Tunbridge Wells and pay a set fee, with driver assistance if required.
IMAGO Dial-2-Drive
Dial 2 Drive (D2D) is a community transport scheme for people unable to access public transport due to older age, illness or disability living in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas.
Volunteer drivers use their own cars to take clients to medical and social appointments. This includes appointments at local surgeries, hospitals, day centres, hairdressers, opticians, lunch clubs and shopping.