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Voluntary Social Car Scheme

There are 16 schemes set up across Cumberland to provide transport for all members of the community of any age (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult).

Voluntary Social Car Scheme is intended for those people who have no other means of transport.

We have volunteers who provide a door to door service across the county to collect you from your home and take you to your chosen destination for a reasonable cost. 

The service can be used for a wide variety of purposes including:

  • making connections with public transport
  • doing the weekly shop
  • medical appointments
  • just for visiting friends

Journeys are available depending on volunteers availability. You may be asked to share transport and you may need to be flexible about the times you travel.

As Voluntary Social Car Schemes and Rural Wheels are not scheduled bus services, passengers are unable to use their concessionary NoWcards.

Transport to hospital appointment

If you need transport to get you to your hospital appointment please check your eligibility for Patient Transport by contacting the Patient Transport Service run by North West Ambulance by telephone - 0800 032 3240

Voluntary Car Scheme locations

These include:

  • Kirkbride and Bowness on Solway
  • Raughton Head
  • Aspatria, Bothel
  • Caldbeck and District, Dalston
  • Ireby
  • Maryport and Allonby
  • Cockermouth and District
  • Workington
  • Keswick, Portinscale Braithwaite, Newlands, Thornthwaite
  • Whitehaven, Arlecdon, Frizington, Cleator Moor, Egremont, St Bees
  • Drigg, Carleton, Ireton, Seascale, Gosforth, Bootle, Eskdale
  • Millom and District

How to book your nearest Voluntary Car Scheme

Contact us to find out your eligibility and the contact details for your nearest Voluntary Car Scheme:

Telephone: 0333 240 69 65 (option 5)
Email: integrated.transport@cumberland.gov.uk

When booking transport with your local coordinator, please give as much notice as possible to allow time to find an available volunteer driver.

If you require assistance accessing a vehicle you would need to supply your own escort.

If there's no car scheme in your area

If there's no car scheme in your area or no availability for your journey, we may be able to offer Rural Wheels. 

Register for the Rural Wheels scheme

If you want to volunteer Driver or co-ordinator for the scheme

We would like to hear from anyone interested in setting up a Voluntary Social Car Scheme as a coordinator or becoming a volunteer driver for an existing scheme. Expenses are reimbursed.

Drivers provide transport for people using their own car. You will be reimbursed fuel expenses at 45 pence per mile for traveling with no passenger, and 50 pence per mile when there are passengers in the vehicle. You will also collect the cash fare and offer a receipt to the passenger (this may be declined if not required). We provide insurance against loss of no claims bonus and excess payments.

Voluntary Transport Officer
Telephone: 0333 240 69 65 (option 5)
Mobile: 07788 396194
Email: integrated.transport@cumberland.gov.uk