Transport for medical appointments and social purposes

The Gamlingay and Hatleys Car Scheme has been in operation for over 25 years. All drivers are DBS checked (Disclosure and Barring Service) and operating within Covid guidelines.

Mick Marshall with client. Photo: Peter Mann.

Priority is given for medical appointments – but it is not a taxi service.

It can be used to take you to your Covid-19 vaccination appointment and other engagements – they are listed below.

Pictured is Mick Marshall – for many years now, Mick has been taking the scheme’s clients to appointments.

Transport, by approved volunteer drivers, is organised for anyone who can’t provide their own transport and where public transport is unsuitable or non-existent to:

• Hospitals – for appointments, admissions or visiting friends at Addenbrooke’s, Hinchingbrooke, Bedford (North and South), Stevenage, Biggleswade and Ely.
• Covid vaccination centres (see below).
• Chiropodists.
• Day centres / special needs clubs.
• Doctors – the surgeries in Gamlingay and Potton
• Dentists.
• Opticians.
• Physiotherapy, etc.
• Friends and shopping.

Using the scheme

If you would like to use the scheme, please ring 07519 493 701 and give as much notice as possible (certainly a minimum of at least three working days, unless it’s an emergency when we will always try to help) – even if you have an appointment in a month or two.

If the phone is unmanned, a recorded message will ask you to leave your name and phone number(s) – the booking co-ordinator will ring you back as soon as possible.

A journey is not booked until confirmed by the co-ordinator.

You are welcome to be accompanied by a carer or friend.

If you are wheelchair bound, most cars can take a folding wheelchair – drivers are not supposed to operate wheelchairs or be a ‘carer’, so please take a carer or friend with you.

You can also contact Cambridgeshire County Council’s Community Transport Officer about individual transport needs on 0345 045 1151.

In addition Hatley St George, East Hatley and Gamlingay, the scheme also covers Little Gransden, Great Gransden and Waresley.

Cost

The cost of a journey is based on 30p / mile (calculated from the driver’s home and back) for each journey – although a fixed fee for each journey has already been calculated: typically, a trip to Addenbrooke’s or to Stevenage costs £12.00 (which you pay to the driver). Best to ask the cost when you make an appointment. There is a minimum charge of £1.00 / return journey of up to four miles.

• Passengers pay the driver at the end of the journey – please put your payment in an envelope.
• There is no extra charge for more than one passenger on any journey.
• If appointments are for more than 2½ to 3 hours, two separate trips will be required and charged for.
• If cost is an issue, Hatley Parish Council can help – please contact Kim Wilde, the parish clerk, on 07591 346 835 or email her parishclerk@hatley.info to discuss this further.

Because of Covid…

The car share scheme is following the safety guidance issued by Care Network Cambridgeshire.

In doing so, it hopes the risk to drivers and passengers of the spread of the virus will be minimised.

To keep everyone safe during their journey, the scheme requests all users to adhere to the following:

• Only travel if you are feeling well.
• Drivers may ring you the day before your journey to ask a few simple health questions.
• If you – or anyone else you have had contact with – are feeling unwell, please notify the scheme to cancel your journey.
• Please wash and sanitise your hands prior to getting into the car on both the outward and return trip.

Both the driver and passenger must wear a mask. The scheme asks all passengers to use their own masks where possible – drivers will have a few spares if necessary.

• Remember to wash and sanitise your hands prior to getting into the car on both the outward and return trip.
• You must sit in the back seat behind the front passenger seat.

The scheme asks users to remember that their drivers are not carers and are not permitted to give assistance that involves contact or lack of social distancing. Therefore, you must be mobile enough to enter and exit the back seat without assistance.

• Due to social distancing, the scheme would prefer it if you are self-sufficient and do not need a carer.
• However, if a carer is essential, they will also have to sit in the back of the car behind the driver and wear a mask.

Once you have reached your destination, the driver will wait in their car for you – they will not enter the destination building but will wait for you to ring them when you are ready for the return journey.

To ensure safety, drivers will clean vehicle surfaces before and after each trip using anti-bacterial wipes.

They will also ensure there is good air ventilation in the car, using windows and air vents rather than air conditioning.

Drivers required!

The scheme is in urgent need of more volunteer drivers. If you have a clean driving licence and are able to spare the odd couple of hours (with your car), the organisers would be very pleased to hear from you. No firm commitment is required – you can always say ‘no’.

On the day, passengers pay the driver 30p / mile from the driver’s home and back for each journey.

The scheme is supported by Cambridgeshire County Council – each quarter the Council pays 15p / mile to the Scheme’s co-ordinator who passes it on to the driver, so drivers get 45p / mile total, but in two instalments. There are some income tax benefits to this arrangement.

• You will, of course, need a car which can be accessed easily by those with impaired mobility – you must also be willing to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check by the County Council.

To join, please ring Alison Baker, the Scheme’s local co-ordinator, on 07754 275 755 (or on the Car Scheme mobile: 07519 493 701).

Other information

The Cambridgeshire County Council website page Getting around details transport options (including community transport) for those unable to use public transport.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s website page Community transport details other useful information, including its Community and public transport in South Cambridgeshire booklet (unfortunately undated, but looks to be relatively recent).

_{Page checked / updated 28th October 2022, with minor changes 16th February 2024.}