Fuel Crisis - Ongoing Impact Survey

Since publishing the original report, we have met with officials at the Department for Transport to share our findings and make the case for urgent support for community transport operators.

DfT have engaged constructively with the evidence and have asked us to continue keeping them updated on the impact the fuel crisis is having on services and operators. This is now an ongoing part of their policy development process, and the information operators provide us will feed directly into that work.

That is why we are running a short follow-up survey. Fuel prices remain high with no end in sight. The increase in the AMAP rate is a step forward, the wider pressure on services has not eased. We need a current picture of what is happening on the ground.

1.What is your organisations name

2.As a direct result of recent increased fuel costs, have you had to make any of the following changes to your services?
Select all that apply.

Reduced the number of days or hours services operate

Reduced the geographic area your services cover

Withdrawn or permanently closed one or more services

Reduced the number of passengers you are able to carry

Turned away or added passengers to a waiting list

We have not had to make any changes to services

Other (please specify)

3.If you have made changes, please give a brief description of the most significant one and how many passengers have been affected.

4.To manage the increased cost of fuel, which of the following has your organisation done?
Select all that apply.

Increased fares or passenger contributions

Applied for emergency or unplanned funding

Used reserves to cover the shortfall

Approached commissioners/funders for an uplift

Reduced staff hours or costs to offset fuel expenditure

We have absorbed the cost without making changes

5.If you have approached commissioners or funders did they agree to an uplift?

Yes, uplift approved in full

Yes, but only partially approved

We are still waiting for a response

No, we have not approached funder/commissioner

Not applicable

6.If fuel prices remain at their current level, what do you expect to happen to your services in the next six months?

We expect to continue running services at the same level

We will likely have to reduce services further

We are at serious risk of having to close one or more services permanently

We are at serious risk of the organisation closing entirely

We do not know

7.What is the single most important thing government could do right now to protect community transport services from the impact of fuel costs?