A CHARITY has promised a “successful” and “seamless” transition when it takes over Oxford’s Dial-a-Ride scheme.

Aspire Oxford will be running the community transport service in the city from Monday, April 13, instead of Oxfordshire County Council.

The changeover comes as the council looks to spend less on services and has awarded the charity a two-year contract to run Dial-a-Ride in Oxford.

It has given the charity a £74,000 grant, which will go towards start-up costs in the first year. After this, Aspire Oxford will look at additional ways of raising cash for the service.

Cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith said getting an outside organisation to take on the bus service with a grant was cheaper than running it within the county council.


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He added: “What it will allow us to do is release in-house staff to do other work. It is about making better use of the facilities we have got.”

He was unable to say how much money this would save the council, or how much the authority had previously spent on Dial-a-Ride.

The service provides transport for the elderly and infirm to help them travel to medical appointments, shopping visits and club meetings. It runs 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and there will be no changes to services under the new contract.

Aspire Oxford is working with the council’s integrated transport unit to ensure there is a smooth transition.

Paul Roberts, chief operating officer for employment and partnerships at Aspire Oxford, said: “Aspire is delighted to be delivering a community transport service for the Oxford community, on behalf of the county council.

“Part of the whole purpose is to provide more employment opportunities for people. It is a great opportunity to create employment for people at Aspire and a great opportunity to expand and increase income for the charity.

“It is a fantastic and very important service to run for residents in Oxford.”

Dial-a-Ride faced difficulty after Oxford City Council and Cherwell, West Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils cut their total funding from £470,000 to £160,000 in 2012.

While these other authorities contributed financially to the bus service, it was run by the county council.

The service has 95 registered users and it is estimated that Aspire Oxford will provide 160-180 passenger journeys each week.

Residents can register for Dial-a-Ride, which costs £5 a year plus a flat fee per journey. To register, call 0845 310 1111.