How cultural organisations can improve travel options to their venues.
Understanding travel problems
Cultural places can be difficult to access due to cost and lack of public transport. Cultural organisations can do the following to help them understand problems getting to the venue:
- surveys
- ask community groups
- organise focus groups
Developing a transport plan
Based on their understanding of problems the organisations can develop a transport plan to improve access. The following may be able to help:
- Traveline Cymru may help you plan how to improve access to public transport
- Sustrans may help you plan how to make it easier for people to walk and cycle
When planning new projects or activities, cultural bodies should include transport from the start. It’s very important in communities with poor public transport links, or for audiences unlikely to have their own transport.
Improving access to public transport
Examples of how cultural organisations could improve access by public transport include:
- paying for joint ticketing arrangements with transport providers
- working with transport providers to make services more convenient, for example a bus stop outside the venue
- joint marketing of events with transport providers to improve attendance
Traveline Cymru may help you plan how to improve access to public transport.
Developing your own transport services
Cultural bodies can also use community transport options including:
- voluntary car schemes
- group travel services
- regular services on a fixed route
Contact the Community Transport Association for more information.
Transport for school visits
Visits to cultural venues and historic sites are important options for schools, and support many areas of the curriculum. The Pupil Development Grant offers support for arts and cultural activity. Schools can use the grant for cultural visits and transport.
Schools can apply for money from the Arts Council Wales to help fund visits to some venues.
Cultural organisations could consider subsidising transport costs, or providing their own vehicle.