Nottingham Community Transport (Nottingham CT) is to launch a new trading arm called CT4N in 2018, under which it will operate bus services currently run on behalf of Nottingham City Council.
From January 2, 2018, Locallink, Centrelink, Ecolink, Medilink and Worklink bus services will transfer to the CT4N arm.
However, all of the vehicles, routes, fares and the organisation’s regular team of drivers will remain the same.
Meanwhile, the Easylink and Group Travel services will remain under the operation of the Nottingham CT charity.
Nottingham CT said there are three reasons why the trading company has been put in place:
• Complying with the law – Nottingham CT will be operating some types of passenger transport service that technically fall outside the scope of its charitable status (such as Link bus services offered to the general public). It said CT4N is able to do this;
• Keeping sustainable – Nottingham CT wishes the charity to benefit from income generating opportunities that may emerge. CT4N can function as a full profit-making entity, whereas the charity cannot. All CT4N profits will be gift aided to the charity; and
• Diversifying activities – Nottingham CT intends to diversify its activities beyond the scope of its charitable objectives, possibly undertaking some non-transport delivery functions (such as other travel, training and consultancy services) to raise profits to benefit the charity.
Nottingham CT General Manager, Ian Combellack, said: “We wish to reassure all our customers, stakeholders and friends that this exciting new development for Nottingham CT will improve and enhance our services to the community, and allow us to grow and expand in the near future.
“However, on the ground, business will very much be as usual and we will continue to maintain the service standards and commitment to the Nottingham community that is central to our values.”
