Tighter restriction introduced for hospital transportation scheme

Alec Doyle, local democracy reporter

Tighter restrictions and increased costs for users of a transport scheme for elderly or disabled residents have been approved by councillors.

Members of Flintshire County Council’s Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee quizzed officers on the plans, which are designed to ease a £40,000 budget overspend in the service.

Ring and Ride is a scheme for those who have no access to their own vehicle and cannot use public transport to get to medical appointments within Flintshire and at three nominated out-of-county hospitals – Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Wrexham Maelor Hospital and the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The scheme, which contracts private hire vehicle operators to provide transport, charges an annual membership fee of £10 then 45p per mile.

Ineligible journeys

But increased costs and ‘abuse’ of the service to take ineligible journeys – including trips to Abergele Eye Hospital and the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen – has seen Ring and Ride bust its annual budget of £40,308. This year it spent £80,596.

Flintshire Council estimates about a third of journeys take with the Ring and Ride service are non-medical or to out-of-county hospitals not covered by the scheme.

As a result the Streetscene and Transportation Department has recommended increasing costs to £25 annually, £2.50 for the first five miles and 50p per mile after that. It also suggests improving training to prevent ineligible journeys taking place.

Ring and Ride has been operating since 2017, said Helen Telford, Flintshire’s Integrated Transport Unit Manager.

“Registered passengers have doubled since 2022 and it has become really popular,” she said. “It was supposed to be a last resort for people who couldn’t access other transport options.

“But it became so popular and people began using it for non-medical visits or visits to ineligible hospitals.”

Overspend

Streetscene and Transportation Chief Officer Katy Wilby added: “Over time the number of ineligible journeys taken has been creeping up. For some users the service is seen as an easier option compared to other transport options.

“The overspend is not solely due to ineligible journeys but we have found that people are even using it for non-medical travel. Some users have told the contact centre one thing when they book and told the driver another.

“We can’t be seen to be undercutting public transport. A lot of scheme members can use a bus service but treat this as the easier option.

“People will complain but they shouldn’t be using the service for those journeys.

“The first option for people in genuine need should be the non-emergency patient transport service from the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Then there are services like the Welsh Border Community Transport and Dial a Ride just over the border in Cheshire which operates here.”

Grants

The council is planning to seek grants from Welsh Government to support the service as it expects contractors to increase costs next time the arrangements are reviewed.

“There seems to be a lot of options for people in this area – border transport being one,” said Ewloe councillor Dave Mackie. “My first reaction is that surely we shouldn’t just create new services, we should support those that exist already – not add our own because they are working.”

While Ms Wilby agreed with the sentiment, she admitted removing the service altogether would be difficult.

“We are where we are,” she said. “To remove the service now is going to be pretty challenging. We are trying to signpost people to other services but it does still fulfil a need for people who have no alternative. Removal of it would leave some vulnerable users without any medical transport options.”

A number of councilors praised officers for proposing a difficult change.

“You were right to do this review,” said Cilcain Cllr Andrew Parkhurst. “Congratulations on offering such a wonderful service that people want to take advantage of it.”

Connah’s Quay Golftyn Cllr Dave Richardson added: “Even at revised rates it is cheap for those who need it.

“I admire officers for putting hands up and saying the system is being abused. It needs tightening up but it’s good we are continuing the service and not pulling it.”