Conduct a community transport audit and engage with your community

Start by identifying existing transport services and routes in your area. This may include local bus and train services, community transport schemes, voluntary car initiatives, and support from charities, churches or voluntary groups.

For each service, assess:

• eligibility: who can use it
• destinations: where does it go
• operating times: days and hours of service

Also consider services in nearby communities or parishes as there may be potential to extend or share existing transport options in the future.

These documents may help you:

• Example of a transport audit
• Transport audit template

Engage with the community

After conducting a transport audit to identify strengths and weaknesses in local provision, the next step is to assess and quantify community travel needs. This includes understanding common destinations, preferred travel modes, and any gaps in services or awareness.

Engaging with the community ensures that transport solutions reflect real experiences, especially for those without access to private vehicles. It’s also a chance to uncover why previous services may have fallen short (e.g. they are infrequent, inaccessible) and to raise awareness of underused options or recruit local volunteers.

Promoting your questionnaire helps build consensus and gather reliable data. This strengthens funding bids, supports policy changes and shows clear evidence of local need.

Who to consult

Aim to reach a broad cross-section of the community. Focus on groups more likely to rely on public or shared transport, such as

• older adults
• children and young people
• people with disabilities
• low-income households
• people in rural or isolated areas
• those with limited digital access or language barriers
• single-car families (where the car is used for commuting)

Inclusive consultation helps shape transport services that are practical, equitable, and responsive to local needs.

Example questions for people without private transport 

What transport services do you currently use?
To understand current reliance on public, community or informal transport.

How often do you use them?
To gauge frequency and regularity of travel.

What do you use them for? (eg. shopping, school run).
To identify trip purposes and essential journeys.

What destinations are difficult to reach? Include purpose, frequency and time of travel.
To pinpoint gaps in provision and when/where services are needed.

How much would you be willing to pay for a service that met your needs?
To assess affordability and potential fare models.

Would you use a service if you couldn’t use your concessionary travel pass?
To understand dependency on free travel and flexibility in funding models.

Do you have any special requirements? (e.g. limited mobility, travelling with children).
To identify accessibility needs and service design considerations.

Would you consider sharing your vehicle with others, such as through a carshare scheme?
To explore potential for informal or organised lift-sharing

Would you volunteer to provide transport for others?
To gauge interest in volunteer driver schemes.

If a reliable alternative existed, would you use it instead of your car?
To understand openness to modal shift and potential demand for new services.

Ways to engage

Use a mix of methods to reach different groups, for example:

• Questionnaires (online or paper)
• Drop-in sessions or public meetings
• Focus groups (e.g. older adults, carers, young people)
• Interviews with local stakeholders (eg. schools, health centres, businesses)

Travel plans

Travel Plans developed by local developers, schools, or workplaces outline how individuals travel to and from a site. They may include travel survey data and analysis, and if actively maintained can present opportunities for collaborative working. However, Travel Plans can be limited in scope and may become outdated over time.

You can access Travel Plans via the relevant District or Borough Council’s planning portal. Additional information may also be available by contacting the organisation directly or through their designated Travel Plan Coordinator.

• Workplace travel plans
• School travel planning

Data protection considerations

If you collect personal information, you must comply with UK data protection law. This includes:

• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Data (Use and Access) Act 2025

As the data controller, your parish council or community group is responsible for ensuring compliance. You must explain:

• why the data is being collected
• how it will be used
• who will have access to it
• how long it will be retained
• whether it will be shared with other organisations

There are two main types of personal data:

• General personal data includes names, contact details, and demographic information
• Special category data includes sensitive information such as health status, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and political opinions. This type of data requires additional safeguards and a lawful basis for processing. Learn more about special category data.

For full guidance, visit the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).