Keinton Mandeville and Kingweston Community Transport KKCT

Offering a volunteer driving service by and for the residents of Keinton Mandeville and Kingweston

If you are a resident of either village, without your own transport, unable to drive and/or have difficulty with public transport you may be eligible to use this scheme.

It can be used for (but not exclusively):

• Journeys to the doctor, post office or hospital (if free hospital transport is not available).
• Collection of prescriptions.
• Visits to friends or relatives (including when in hospital).
• Journeys to bus stops, bus stations and train stations for onward journeys.

If you need a lift, if possible, please give 48hrs notice by phoning the coordinator on 07799 487 719. The coordinator will let you know whether a driver is available, his or her name and the cost of the trip. Most destinations have a standard charge. Illustrative charges for a return trip to Yeovil (the driver will wait a minimum of 45 – more if agreed) is £8.00 and for Castle Cary £6.00

For more information please see below or call Neill Thomas on 01458 223 613 or the coordinator on the mobile number above.
If you have a relative, friend, or neighbour, or know anyone, particularly of
pensionable age, that may find this scheme useful, please contact the
Coordinator. But please note that we are not, nor do we wish to be in
competition with those kind people who already provide lifts voluntarily
and free of charge.

Please use this personal and friendly village service.

This scheme is not stand alone but reflects what is being done in other villages in the area. It is a member of the Mid Somerset Car Scheme Partnership which brings schemes from different areas together to share experiences and provides, for a small fee, additional insurance cover for the driver when carrying a passenger. No profit is made from the scheme but a small fee is charged for administration and the driver receives 40p per mile for distance travelled. To make life easier and more manageable a number of regularly used destinations have a standard charge calculated on mileage rate and admin fee. A few examples are given below.

The Keinton Mandeville and Kingweston Community Transport is not in competition with local taxi firms, public transport, hospital transport or those kind people who provide lifts in the local community voluntarily and free of charge. We are here to help fill the gaps for those people, predominantly but not exclusively, the more mature members of our community, who cannot drive or do not have access to a car and have difficulty using public transport.

The scheme covers the area of the two parishes of Kingweston and Keinton Mandeville and only residents of these two parishes may use the scheme. However, exceptionally, the scheme will provide transport for residents of Barton St David and Lydford.

If you think you may need the services of the scheme but are not sure whether you will be eligible please telephone the Coordinator on the number above.

So how does the scheme work? Telephone the coordinator, if possible 48 hours in advance of the date you need the lift. On your first call the Coordinator will ask a few questions on your eligibility and take your address, telephone number etc. but, thereafter, all that will be required is the time you need to be picked up and the destination. He/she will then inform you of the cost. It will take the coordinator a short while to find a driver who is available. Once this is done he/she will call you back with the name of the driver. The driver will pick you up at the stipulated time and place. We do ask that you pay the driver at the start of the journey and he/she will give you a receipt. If you require a return journey the driver will wait for a maximum of 45 minutes unless he/she has agreed in advance to wait longer. Please mention this to the coordinator when booking the trip and he/she will try to find a driver who is willing to wait. We usually can find one. If not the coordinator will arrange for another driver to make the return journey but you will have to pay another charge. If this sounds a little convoluted do not worry as the coordinator will talk you through it at the time.

If the driver needs to park in a ‘pay car park’ you the passenger will have to pay the charge.

Examples of charges for the following destinations:

• Within Keinton and Kingweston £1.00
• Somerton £4.50
• Yeovil Hospital £8.00
• Musgrove Park Hospital £20.00
• Shepton Mallet £7.50

Finally, please telephone 07799 487 719 if you have any questions and do pass word of this service to anyone you know who may be in need of it.

Finally, there is a requirement for additional drivers so if you would like to be a volunteer driver please call Neill Thomas on 01458 223 613