Teme Wheels driving into the future

A COMMUNITY transport group in Tenbury is showing the way to the future.The work of Teme Wheels is being watched to see if it provides a blueprint that can be followed by other communities.Formed two years ago by John Driver, who was formerly the chair of the Community Transport Trust, that also serves the local community, the group set out to pioneer the use of electric vehicles.The group has also introduced a scheme to help tackle loneliness by enabling people to book a ride with a driver to beauty spots and other places of interest.Recently, Teme Wheels was visited by Councillor Mike Rouse, who has the lead in developing community transport services for Worcestershire County Council.Also seeing what the group is doing was Harriett Baldwin MP, whose West Worcestershire constituency includes Tenbury.“Community Transport schemes like Teme Wheels are playing an increasingly important role helping people to get out and about and I had a detailed conversation with Councillor Mike Rouse, who is responsible for the county’s transport provision because community transport will play an increasing role in the future,” said Mrs Baldwin.“I was particularly impressed that John Driver has been able to source an electric vehicle for Teme Wheels and this future thinking is just what we need as we work towards our nation’s net zero ambitions.”Teme Wheels operates an electric SUV that has been adapted to be able to take a wheelchair.The vehicle was purchased with match funding following fund raising in the local community that raised the £20,000 needed for the project to go ahead.There were problems sourcing the SUV because of the global shortage of electronic chips that are needed in modern vehicles.Converting the vehicle for wheelchairs was also delayed because of a strike at a factory in Italy that supplies components.