Transport and mobility

Transport can be very important in helping people keep their independence. There are many schemes in operation.

Accessible Transport Services provides the following help with transport:

Freedom Passes: Free travel on public transport in central London is available to everyone over pensionable age through the Freedom Pass (Older People’s Travel Permits) paid for by the Council. You can apply for the Pass at a post office - take proof of age and address and two passport-size photos. For more information go to the Freedom Pass Website
Taxicard: allows people with serious difficulties with walking (including breathing problems and sight loss) to travel in taxis at reduced rates
Disabled Persons' Blue and Purple Badges for free parking in the borough and nationally. The badges allow you to park for free at meters and in residents’ parking spaces. You can apply if you are a car driver or passenger who has severe difficulty in walking
Disabled Persons’ Parking Bays. If you cannot walk more than 50 yards you can apply for a bay outside your home

A booklet with detailed information "Transport Services for Disabled People" is available from Accessible Transport Services.

Dial-a-Ride is a service which uses trained drivers to provide door to door transport for frail/disabled people in Central London. Friends can accompany users and the vehicles are adapted for wheelchairs. You need to register and journeys must be booked in advance.

The Kensington and Chelsea Community Car Scheme provides transport for frail, elderly or disabled people and is run by trained volunteer drivers/escorts. The service is suitable for wheelchairs Volunteers use their own cars or wheelchair accessible taxis to provide short and long distance subsidised trips to any destination except hospitals for treatment.

Kensington and Chelsea Community Car Scheme provide low cost minibus hire for local groups with both standard and wheelchair accessible vehicles, a volunteer driver service, weekly escorted shopping trips. It has special membership rates for small informal groups and provides driver training and goods van hire.

Escorted trips to local supermarkets are provided by the Kensington and Chelsea Shopper and for older people, Sixty Plus.

British Red Cross Society (London Branch). A small number of volunteer drivers provide a transport service for people who are not provided with transport by the NHS to attend medical appointments and an escort service for people who need help to use public transport.

Contact Accessible Transport Services for information on any of the above.

Mobility

Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Wheelchair Service provides mobility equipment to children and adults who live in Kensington and Chelsea and have serious and permanent difficulties in walking. The service provides a range of equipment - manual and powered wheelchairs, children’s buggies, special seating, cushions and other accessories or modifications to suit individual needs. They also run a short term loan scheme where wheelchairs can be borrowed for a short time.

You can contact the service yourself or be referred by someone like a doctor, social worker or nurse. There is a waiting list for an assessment but people with very urgent needs can be seen immediately.

Help and advice to make it easier to move around at home is available from the Occupational Therapy Service.

Social Services