Transport Fund for NHS Heroes launched to transport key health workers safely in London black taxis

A new fund is seeking public help and donations to transport NHS workers to and from work during the COVID-19 emergency.

The fundraiser called ’Transport Fund for NHS Heroes’ was set up to ensure health workers have access to transportation meeting the recommended social distancing guidelines. Taxis are seen to offer one of the safest forms of transportation for health workers due to the recommended 2 metre separation between the driver and the passenger. The driver and passenger is also separated by a partition in a vehicle designed to be easily cleaned.

The Transport Fund for Heroes are collaborating with three of the capital’s biggest black cab fleets; Gett, FREE NOW and CityFleet Networks, to fund the cost of these journeys for our NHS Heroes.

All three companies have agreed to either offer 50% discount on the cost of these journeys or offer a flat £10 fixed-price per journey.

The fund is aiming to raise £100,000 to help NHS staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

The organiser of the fundraiser, Martin Cranefield, said: “We have started this campaign to help fund the transport costs that our NHS Heroes would otherwise have to incur, for attending to the public health emergency the whole country is facing.

“Many NHS Heroes live far from hospitals and if we are expecting them to go above and beyond to save our loved ones, we believe they should not have to face high transport costs for travelling to and from hospitals.”

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of London Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), said: “The London Taxi (Black Cab) Trade is delighted to be able to support this scheme and help our NHS heroes.”

CityFleet Networks said: “CityFleet Networks are proud to announce that we will be supporting Transport Fund for NHS Heroes. We want to ensure we assist in all possible ways so that all our NHS staff can arrive safely to hospital during the Covid-19 crisis.

“It is essential that during these testing times of this pandemic we all pull together and become pillars of strength for each other."

A FREE NOW spokesperson said: “We are delighted to see this campaign being launched to cover the costs for all NHS workers of getting to and from work. FREE NOW has recently launched the NHS 'heroes' fare which offers all NHS workers a 50% reduction on fares in the following cities: London, Manchester, Nottingham, Reading, Oxford & Edinburgh.

“It is great that more people want to contribute to make journeys completely free for NHS staff.”

Gett’s spokesperson said: “Gett are proud to support the goodwill of Black Cab drivers offering generous rates to NHS health workers fighting this pandemic on the frontline. 

“We are delighted that Transport Fund for NHS Heroes has quickly found a way for the general public to now support our NHS Heroes too, and fully support this further initiative in this fight across our communities.”

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