UK’s first accredited community mobility hub named

A town in South Ayrshire has become home to the first community mobility hub in the UK to gain official recognition from the national charity for shared transport.

The Carrick Centre in the town of Maybole has been accredited by Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) for its Community Green Transport Hub.

The two organisations worked towards achieving accreditation for the mobility hub by improving signage, surveying local residents on how local transport could be improved, and making it easier for people to hire e-bikes.

The hub makes it easier for people to take sustainable journeys by offering a range of services including e-bike hire, electric vehicle chargers and a community minibus.

The facility is located beside Maybole railway station and close to a National Cycle Network route, and is also served by local bus services.

Mobility hubs bring together a range of transport options and community services in a single, attractive place, making it easier for people to travel without using private cars.

CoMoUK, which is responsible for accrediting shared transport schemes and mobility hubs across the UK, drew up guidance for community mobility hubs in 2022. The guidance is designed to ensure that accredited hubs achieve a minimum set of standards for users, but also recognises that community-led projects will have less resources than larger ones led by councils or developers.

Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “It’s brilliant that the Carrick Centre is setting an example for the rest of the UK by making the town of Maybole home to the country’s first accredited community mobility hub, proving that sustainable transport options can be created everywhere, not just in cities.

“We salute the efforts of staff and those at SACT for turning the Community Green Transport Hub into such a fantastic facility for local residents and visitors alike.
“Mobility hubs reclaim space for sustainable, green and convenient modes of transport that is usually taken up by private cars, helping to cut traffic congestion and carbon emissions in the process.

“They also make it far easier for people to get around by creating seamless links between public transport and schemes such as shared bikes, e-scooters and car clubs.

“It’s great that South Ayrshire is leading the way in this area and we hope the new hub inspires other community groups with similar plans to follow suit.”