Posted 26th Jan 2024 by Mathew Smith
Downland Leads the Way in West Berkshire
1 minute read time
A Berkshire community transport association is leading the way as it becomes the first to operate an electric minibus in the county. To celebrate this significant achievement they renamed their Handybus to HandeBus – highlighting it’s electric credentials.
The Downland Volunteer Group (DVG) started in 1986 to help residents in the Downland villages to attend their medical appointments. In 2018 DVG took over the Handybus operation from West Berkshire Council in 2018 and now six years on, and thanks to funding from West Berkshire Council who contributed through the Community Transport Capital Grant Fund, and support from other sponsors, they were able to upgrade the service by using a fully accessible electric vehicle.
The conversion designed for the DVG was based on a Ford eTransit and included 12 seats, each with integral all-age belts, fold out side step, high vis handrails, Webasto heater for the rear cabin and a passenger lift with room to take two wheelchair passengers
Joe Clerkin, from the Downland Volunteer Group, said:
“The Downland Volunteer Group is extremely grateful to the West Berkshire Council and our other sponsors that has enabled us to replace the old Handybus with a new all electric HandeBus to continue our support of Downland residents and in addition, help wheelchair users in our area travel in a comfortable and secure purpose-built vehicle.”
Lee Jones from GM Coachwork who helped DVG through the design process added:
“It was great to work with everyone at Downland on this electric Transit. It’s good to see more organisations operating electric vehicles and I’m sure it’ll give them years of service.”
Denise Gaines, Executive Member for Highways, Housing and Sustainable Travel at West Berkshire Council, said:
“It is heartening to see that a local community group is taking such bold steps to improve accessibility for those with mobility difficulties who may struggle to get out and about to appointments or the shops. This Handebus will help support our vulnerable residents to maintain their independence, whilst also using a vehicle that helps the Council to tackle the climate and ecological emergency.”