Travel Buddies scheme expanded to include over-40s

Margaret Bishop used the scheme for a day out to Peckover House

A scheme intended to give older people confidence using public transport has been hailed a success and expanded to include younger passengers.

Travel Buddies was launched earlier this year in Cambridgeshire offering free trips to people aged over 65, but it now includes those aged 40-64 after Fenland District Council was given further funding by rail operator Greater Anglia.

Organisers said they had seen "how valuable these outings can be for building confidence and meeting new people".

Margaret Bishop, 77, who recently used the scheme to visit a National Trust house and garden, encouraged others to try it and said: "You'll find friendship and a good time."

Belinda Pedler, the council's senior transport officer, said: "We try to make sure people are completely confident and comfortable in what we're offering and it's really just an opportunity to go to a place where they can be social – they're with a group of people, they're not on their own."

The trips, which often include a light lunch, are free thanks to funding from Cambridgeshire County Council and additional support from Greater Anglia.

The scheme is intended to assist those "who might not understand or have the confidence to try out the different types of transport that are available", Ms Pedlar said.

"That actually can affect people of any age group, so as part of the new funding we've been able to extend the age group.

"There may be people with health problems, mental health problems or life changes [who] haven't used different transport and they feel a bit isolated, so this is just the chance to have a very casual outing with other people."

Belinda Pedler said the scheme was helping people who were not used to public transport

Ms Bishop recently used Travel Buddies to visit Peckover House in Wisbech.

"I had a wonderful time. I looked around all the beautiful gardens and had a nice tea afterwards," she said.

She took the trip with one of her friends on a bus provided by Fact Community Transport.

"There's nothing to be nervous about at all – you'll find friendship and a good time," she said.

Gary Christy said the trips had "received fantastic feedback"

Gary Christy, the council's portfolio holder for transport, said: "It's a very valuable scheme... to encourage people that maybe have some anxiety about using public transport to come and use it.

"Post-Covid, we're trying to get more people back out again. It has so many benefits... it helps promote independent living.

"The trips have received fantastic feedback, so we're excited to be adding train journeys and opportunities for more people to get involved."

Scott Dolling, Greater Anglia's partnerships manager, described the scheme as "a great initiative" and said it was one of 28 projects it was supporting through its customer and community improvement fund.

Travel Buddies for over-65s is being run as a two-year pilot until December 2026. The rail element of the project and the trips for over-40s will run until March 2026.