Sheffield Council urged to bring back ‘lifeline’ transport service for disabled and lonely

The Travel Buddy Service provided one-to-one support for anyone over the age of 16 who needed help getting out and about to meet friends, go shopping or keep appointments.

It catered for older people, people with physical and / or sensory impairments, learning disabilities, people with mobility issues and people with mental health issues.

The council tripled the cost for service users before cutting it altogether amid serious budget pressures.

Eileen Turner, aged 69, attended the latest full council meeting to plead with the council to bring it back.

During the meeting she said: “It was a lifeline to the disabled and the lonely. They helped with shopping and things like that but in just a few short years we lost the funding and now there is nothing.

“I would like the council to look into this to see why we have lost such a vital service.

“It’s not only the mental impact it had on somebody’s health but everything else that service provided.

“When I first started going out with them I paid a nominal fee of £15 for three hours a week. I used to go out on a Tuesday and a Friday which cost me £30 a week.

“But when the funding was taken from the council they wanted £15 an hour. There was no way any of us could afford that money.”

She added: “I am one voice speaking out for many in Sheffield who are now on their own with no one to help them. I am asking the council to get us our travel buddies back.”

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, chair of the transport committee, said he was unable to commit to reinstating it at the moment but the council would investigate whether they could bring it back.

He said: “These are the tragic consequences of having a Tory government…

“Like you said, many residents in Sheffield relied on this service. It was subsidised by the council and the service users made a contribution.

“Due to those severe cuts, we could no longer afford to subsidise it, pushing the costs back on to service users. It was just unaffordable and therefore the service had to be unfortunately cut.

“I’m more than happy for our committee to take it up for discussion. We have also a new mayor (South Yorkshire Combined Authority), Oliver Coppard who has given a commitment that he wanted to bring public transport back under public control. We are in regular discussions and we will pick this up with him to see if there is any opportunity through the region to support this.”

How did the service work?

The council said travel buddies provided friendship and companionship, helping users to build confidence and gain independence.

Buddies offered physical and emotional support as people went to and from their destinations.

After meeting at an agreed point, the buddy would go with them by bus, tram, taxi, train or on foot to wherever they needed to go.