Special Transport Schemes in the London Borough of Camden – An Overview and Possibilities for Co-Ordination

Special transport services are an important and increasingly popular way to meet older people’s travel demand which could not be satisfied by mainstream public transport. In this report, the transport situation for older people in the London Borough of Camden is discussed. The limitations of public and private transport are discussed. In particular it is shown that even within one Borough of London the accessibility to public transport differs significantly. After introducing the general transport situation in Camden, five special transport schemes available in the borough are described. These are services operating by minibus (Dial-a-Ride, PlusBus), one service providing subsidized taxi trips and two services allowing mobility impaired people to hire a personal electric vehicle (ShopMobility, Scootability). The user advantages and disadvantages for these schemes are outlined. Furthermore, the current organization of the schemes and possibilities for coordination are discussed. It is proposed that through better coordination special transport services can provide older people better services at lower unit cost.