Sevenoaks Town Council secures funding for Age UK electric minibus
Published: 20 January 2026
We are delighted to announce that our Community Transport Grant application to Kent County Council has been successful, securing funding for a new wheelchair-accessible electric minibus for Age UK Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.
Age UK supports around 500 beneficiaries living within Sevenoaks Town, many of whom face significant barriers to accessing services without dedicated transport. One of the main uses for the minibus will be to transport older and mobility-impaired local residents to Age UK’s Hollybush Day Centre in Sevenoaks. This centre provides people in later life with valuable opportunities to meet others, make new friends, enjoy a nutritious hot meal, and take part in a wide range of recreational activities.
In addition to door-to-door transport for Day Centre users, the minibus will also be used to take local residents to GP and hospital appointments, shopping trips, and other essential journeys.
The grant will enable Sevenoaks Town Council to purchase the minibus, which will operated by Age UK. The vehicle will be owned by Sevenoaks Town Council, but Age UK will manage bookings, scheduling, and transport provision, with the service run on a not-for-profit basis.
The Mayor of Sevenoaks, Cllr Tony Clayton, said, "
We’re delighted that the bid for this bus, supporting Age UK, has been successful. It will help one of the key voluntary organisations in Sevenoaks making life better for older citizens, providing them with a dedicated way of transporting people to appointments and events. In addition, it will ‘green’ another vehicle on our roads, reducing pollution as well as costs.”
Age UK Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge are introducing a dedicated, wheelchair-accessible electric minibus to strengthen its transport offer, providing a more sustainable solution that will ensure continuity of services, meet rising local demand, and help connect people who would otherwise be at risk of isolation. The new minibus service is due to be launched later this year.
The CEO for Age UK Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, Louise MacPherson, commented, “
We couldn’t be more grateful to everyone at Sevenoaks Town Council for their support in helping to secure this grant. The new minibus will make a significant difference to our services, enabling us to provide safe, reliable and comfortable transport for those who depend on it to access our Day Centre and other essential services. This minibus will provide a sustainable solution to help ensure that people in our community can continue to stay connected, supported and engaged, long into the future.”
Kent County Council has awarded a Community Transport Grant of £75,795 to help fund the electric minibus. This scheme has been provided using BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) Funding awarded to Kent County Council as part of the Government’s National Bus Strategy.
Sevenoaks Town Council’s own community minibus will soon be ready to hire out to community groups in Sevenoaks, following another successful Community Transport Grant application last year. This minibus will be available for community groups in Sevenoaks to rent for the day. A booking form will soon be available on the Sevenoaks Town Council website.
These electric minibuses support Sevenoaks Town Council’s Green Community Investment Plan, and its continued commitment to environmentally responsible projects that benefit the local area.