Both ITV Meridian and BBC 1 South ran a transport piece on Friday evening following Richard Holden MP’s visit to Age Concern Hampshire at Lockswood last Monday. You can find the links and transcripts below.
Thank you to everyone who worked hard to make this happen, and all of those who watched live!
Revised ITV Transcript below:
Click this link for the ITV playback and transcript.
Loneliness and isolation among older people is a huge problem. One of the biggest challenges for many is simply getting to and from community clubs and activities, especially with bus services cut and a lack of door-to-door service. Now, half a million pounds is being spent across Hampshire to try and help, with a brand-new minibus that takes pensioners to social events and provides carers with respite. Our Social Affairs Correspondent Christine Alsford has more details.
Five days a week this new minibus collects passengers from around Hampshire and takes them to activities run by Age Concern [at Lock’s Heath]. And for many, it’s a lifeline.
I get the bus every day picked up from Park Gate and taken back every afternoon. It gives me the opportunity to get out basically.
They offer a very good service – having someone to always help you down the stairs and back up again or whatever – it’s good.
– Malcolm and Bill
The electric bus has only been on the road for four months – but has already been used by more than 60 people like Malcolm and Bill to attend sessions at the Lockswood Care and Wellbeing Centre – regularly getting them out of the house.
We know that loneliness is a huge issue- it was a huge issue before COVID and has continued to be an issue since COVID- we’re also seeing lots of people have lost confidence and aren’t going out, especially people who have accessibility issues and find it difficult to get to places.
– Claire Vincent, Action Hampshire
The bus has been designed to make life easier for everyone. If anyone can’t use the stairs at the front, there is a special lift at the back, which Caroline is now demonstrating- and plenty of room on board for wheelchairs.
This is one of the several sustainable transport schemes currently being funded by the Department for Transport. But some question if this is enough at a time when public bus services, that many elderly people rely on, are being reduced or cut altogether.
In some areas the number of buses has been cut by up to half- I mean, this is something happening on your Government, cuts to bus services, reductions to bus services. Do we not need something on a bit more of an ambitious scale than small piecemeal projects like this?
I think this is an important pilot project, particularly to tackle elderly loneliness, but I think broadly what we’ve done is introduced the two pound fare cap, which was going to be a project for 3 months which we’ve extended to 6 months, we’ve also been putting in the bus recovery grant that is up to 2 billion pounds now of support for the bus sector.
– Social Affairs Correspondent Christine Alsford and Richard Holden MP, Roads Minister
The Roads Minister said he was delighted to see first hand just how well the project is working. He wouldn’t be drawn on whether the scheme will continue to receive funding when the pilot project concludes in May. Those who use it say they don’t know how they’d manage without it.
Revised BBC 1 South Transcript below:
Click this link for the BBC 1 South playback and transcript.
[…] And that’s why the Minister for Roads and Buses is here.
A government grant of 566,000 pounds has paid for this minibus, and a number of electric cars and bikes, to help people get out and about. It’s a pilot project, to see how sustainable transport can help tackle loneliness – an issue that’s got worse with the pandemic.
The lack of confidence, anxiety, or their health conditions have worsened through not going out. So we are interested in any transport initiatives to help people get out.
– Claire Vincent, Action Hampshire
But the pandemic has also accelerated a decline in more traditional bus services – over the past five years the UK local bus network shrank by around 14% – and by even more in rural areas. The Minister insists he is committed to supporting the industry – and the passengers who rely on it.
One of the big things we have been trying to do it since the end of the pandemic is try and put extra support into the local bus services. So, we’ve put the bus recovery grant in there, which we have extended for another three months until the end of June and also the get around for £2 scheme and we hope that will spur people to get backs on the bus as well.
– Richard Holden MP, Roads Minister
As to whether projects like the electric minibus have a future, the University of Winchester will assess what difference it makes to people’s lives. Malcolm told me he’d be stuck at home without it.
Where I stated they haven’t got transport, so, this is great.
– Malcolm
David Allard BBC South Today, Park Gate in Hampshire.
