Bus service for elderly

Press, 1 September 1982, Page 6

Bus service for elderly

Many elderly people in St Albans will soon be served by a door-to-door bus service. The Transport Licensing Authority has granted Mrs S. M. Hallman a temporary licence to run a bus service until March 31. Mrs Hallman proposed to transport elderly people between their homes and a shopping mail, so that they can do their own shopping. She intends to start the set-

vice in two weeks, using a 12-seater mini-bus. A survey by a research firm for which Mrs Hallman works showed that elderly people did not generally use many of Christchurch’s shopping malls because no buses went past them and taxi fares were too expensive. Most people questioned said they would like to be able’ to use the malls. Mrs Hallman made a further survey to see what support a

private bus would have. The response yielded the names of people who would use such a service. Mrs Hallman said it would not be formally advertised because this would bring a flood of replies. The service would be extended if it was successful by calling on the friends of existing patron,s, she said. Mrs Hallman saw the service cis helping her to get to know the elderly in her own

area, and allowing them to meet others in their agegroup and to retain independence over their shopping. Every day, a group would be taken to a shopping mall, the fare being $4. Each group would be taken every two weeks. One trip would be. to a mall near to home and the next would be to one further away, although the fare .would remain the same, Mrs Hallman said.