Council to review Flintshire’s Ring and Ride Service amid funding shortfall

 

Flintshire County Council’s Ring and Ride service, which has helped over 1,000 residents access essential health appointments since 2017, is set to be reviewed due to increasing demand and budget constraints.

The door-to-door transport scheme offers affordable travel for residents who cannot access public transport or have no other means of getting to medical appointments.

However, with rising costs, the service is projected to exceed its budget for 2024/25 by more than £40,000.

Since its launch, more than 7,000 journeys have been booked, but a recent review found that many trips did not meet the service’s eligibility criteria.

The council’s cabinet is now being asked to consider changes to ensure the scheme remains sustainable.

Under the proposed changes, the annual membership fee would increase from £10 to £20, while a minimum charge of £2.50 would be introduced for journeys under five miles

. Currently, users pay 45p per mile, a rate that has not been updated since the service began.

Katie Wilby, Chief Officer for Streetscene and Transportation, said the service is a lifeline for people with mobility challenges. “Ring and Ride is an invaluable service for people with mobility problems or difficulties who cannot use ordinary public transport some or all of the time, and don’t have their own transport,” she said. “It provides accessible door-to-door transport to doctor, dentist and hospital appointments.”

Ms Wilby emphasised the importance of keeping the service running for those who need it most.

“It is vital that the scheme keeps running for those who need it most and to achieve this we must ensure that only essential journeys which meet the criteria are being made.”

The council also acknowledged that some vulnerable users may be affected by the proposed changes.

“We appreciate that withdrawing the service from ineligible users may have an impact on vulnerable people who currently use it, and we will ensure that these people are signposted to alternative transport solutions,” Ms Wilby added.

The council’s report recommends tightening the eligibility criteria and increasing user fees to balance the budget while continuing to provide essential support to those in need.

The council’s funding gap has risen to £47.5m for the next financial year, driven by increased National Insurance and teacher pension costs.

Despite finding £17.6m in savings, the council warns of a potential 9% council tax rise

Council leaders stress that years of below-average funding have left “very little left to cut” without affecting frontline services.

They are calling for a funding floor to protect underfunded councils and plan to lobby for fairer funding before the budget is finalised on February 25.

Residents can find out more about the service and the eligibility requirements on the council’s website.