Qube and Ellesmere community cars merge to expand transport reach

Oswestry Community Action (Qube) has expanded its Community Transport offering by merging with Ellesmere Community Cars to cover even more of the North Shropshire area.

Both Ellesmere Community Cars and Qube Transport had the same objective in mind; to provide transport for those who may need assistance getting out and about, making the merger a perfect partnership.

Unlike Ellesmere Community Cars which was purely volunteer-led, Oswestry Community Action, who offer a complete Community Transport package, including Community Cars for longer trips and Dial-a-Ride for those trips closer to home, have manned telephone lines throughout the week (Monday to Friday) to coordinate journeys and allocate each trip a dedicated driver.

Residents who have made regular use of the Ellesmere Community Car service should be reassured that they’ll still see the drivers they know but with the peace of mind that if their usual driver is unavailable then there will be someone else available to cover their trip.

The process for requesting a driver will be the same as before, but using the new telephone number (01691 671571). To make use of Qube Transport, it will be necessary to become a member of Qube for an annual subscription of £30.

The merger with Qube Transport also means that Ellesmere passengers will receive access to some extra services too. These include day trips and social engagements as well as essential journeys, and a weekly minibus service to Tesco which is currently being scoped out by the Transport team.

Kim Wootton, Chief Officer of Oswestry Community Action says: “We are thrilled to announce the successful merger with Ellesmere Community Cars. The transport team at Oswestry Community Action already provides essential services that help residents get out and about, and now passengers from Ellesmere will have access to all these services.

"Our dedicated Transport team, made up of both staff and volunteers, ensures that booking a journey is simple and straightforward, and our drivers are fully trained and vetted. We’re always looking for more volunteer drivers, so if you’re interested, please contact us at 01691 656882.”

For more information, or to request a journey from the Community Transport team, please call 01691 671571. Oswestry Community Action will take subscriptions over the phone or send out a membership form with details of how to pay.

Further information can also be accessed on the current Ellesmere Community Cars number (07956 046459) until the end of April.