Lerryn Area Minibus Association (LAMA)

LAMA, supporting local people and local organisations in the Lerryn Area (which encompasses Lerryn, St Veep, St Winnow, Boconnoc, Lostwithiel and the districts that surround them).

We provide community transport for local people.  Our minibus is NOT available for private hire (eg, weddings), taxi services (eg, airport runs) or business use (eg, works outings).  For more general advice and information on public transport and car hire, please have a look at the Local Links and Local Businesses sections of this website.

Passengers: we can give you a wonderful day out (read on below).

Local Organisations: we can loan our 17 seater minibus to you (scroll down the page).

Supporters: we greatly appreciate your help (click the [Read More] button near the bottom).

If you just want to talk to someone, please see our "Who You Gonna Call?" section immediately below.

LAMA What's On
LAMA Trips October 2023	Shop, Eat, Visit Special Trip 19th October	LAMA Trips September 2023	Bude Special Trip 14th September

Who You Gonna Call ?

For trip bookings and loan enquiries (indeed anything at all): 01208 811175.

For contacting the minibus driver in an emergency: 07707 797399 (NB, phone will only be answered if conditions allow).

If you need to write, then our preferred method is by email to one of the following:

• LAMA Booking Clerk for passenger information and most general enquiries: enquiries@lamaminibus.co.uk.
• LAMA Training Officer for minibus loan enquiries: loans@lamaminibus.co.uk.
• LAMA Treasurer for paying a bill or making a donation: treasurer@lamaminibus.co.uk.
• LAMA Secretary for formal enquiries or to contact a committee member: secretary@lamaminibus.co.uk.

Passengers

LAMA is for You.  LAMA’s minibus is your community minibus.  As a not-for-profit community service, we try to offer you a little more help and support than would a typical commercial bus operator.  We are not allowed to carry just anyone, but if you register as a passenger or become a LAMA member, then we can keep you abreast of everything we have planned.

What LAMA Does.  Volunteer drivers take our community minibus from Lerryn via Lostwithiel to local towns, shops, garden centres and places of interest.  LAMA typically runs weekly shopping trips to Bodmin and monthly to Truro. The minibus is also used for collecting prescriptions from Lostwithiel Surgery for Lerryn residents and for undertaking periodic wellbeing trips to places of interest and special events.  Fares are very modest.

Who may Register as a Passenger.  To use the LAMA service, you need to be a resident within the Lerryn Area, which encompasses Lerryn, St Veep, St Winnow, Boconnoc, Lostwithiel and the districts that surround them.  You may also use the minibus if you become a member (see supporters section below).

How to Register as a Passenger.  Registration is not complicated and is free.  Either collect a form from the driver when you first use the minibus or else download a form below.  When complete, please return the form to the address shown in the "Who You Gonna Call?" section above.

Passenger Summary            Passenger Registration Form and Privacy Policy

How to Use the Minibus. Once you are registered as a passenger, the details of each month's trips will be sent to you.  Details of LAMA's monthly trips will also be advertised on local noticeboards, in local newsletters and on local websites.  When you are ready to travel, simply phone our booking clerk to book your place and pick-up point (see "Who You Gonna Call?" section above).  Under the terms of our operating permit, you must pre-book for each trip.

How to Pay.  Please pay the driver in cash as you get on the minibus.  The driver does not carry a cash float, so please bring the correct money if you can.  The fares for each journey are detailed in our monthly trip schedules.  Children travel half price.

Minors as LAMA Passengers.  Minors (defined as young people under the age of 18) travelling with a registered adult do not, themselves, need to be registered as a LAMA passenger.  However, they do need to be booked for any journeys they wish to undertake and they must pay half the adult fare.  Minors who wish to travel on their own must register as a passenger in their own right and their application must be supported by a letter signed by a parent, guardian or carer.

Rules for the Carriage of Dogs.  Floor space within the LAMA minibus is limited and corridors, entrances and exits must always be kept clear to permit safe egress in an emergency.  Consequently, only small dogs may be carried in the minibus, but an exception will be made for assistance/service dogs. Anyone wishing to bring a dog onto the minibus must first obtain the driver’s permission.  The dog must be clean and kept under control at all times.  The dog must not be allowed to sit on a seat, although it may sit in the footwell or on someone’s lap.  If a dog causes a nuisance to the driver or any passenger, then the dog and its handler may be required by the driver to get off the bus and they will have to find their own way home.  The driver’s decision in this will be final.  No charge will be made for carrying a dog on the minibus.  Medium and large sized assistance/service dogs will need to occupy the footwell of an adjacent seat and so they must be booked to travel for each trip they undertake.

In the Event of an Emergency.  Should you need to contact the minibus driver in the event of an emergency, please phone 07707 797399.  Please note that this phone will only be switched on when the minibus is being used and that drivers will not be able to answer the phone when they are driving.  The phone will be switched off when the minibus is parked up in Lerryn.  Please do not try to use this number for booking a trip.

COVID Restrictions.  Thankfully, the impact of COVID on our lives is diminishing, but it is not completely gone away.  As many of LAMA's passengers are vulnerable, some COVID restrictions may still be required when using the minibus.  Based on prevailing conditions, the LAMA committee will declare one of the COVID Risk Levels shown below.  The risk level actually in operation will be displayed in the window of the main passenger door.  Please click on the links below to see the restrictions that you will be expected to observe for each risk level.

COVID Risk Level Red          COVID Risk Level Amber          COVID Risk Level Green

The current COVID Risk Level is:  GREEN 

Local Organisations

Minibus Loan.  Local not-for-profit organisations that provide benefit to the community, such as a school, institute, playgroup, church, association or club, may register as an authorised organisation in order to borrow the minibus for their own activities.  Nearby organisations that are based outside the Lerryn Area may also loan the LAMA minibus if their usual community transport provider is unavailable for any reason (eg, their minibus is already booked for another job).

Register as an Authorised Organisation.  It is a good idea to register now so that when you do want to borrow the minibus, you will not be delayed by having to complete the registration formalities first.  This is a one-time only activity.  The registration process is described fully in the loan summary document below.  To register, download and complete the registration and privacy form below and return it to the address shown in the "Who You Gonna Call?" section above.

Loan Summary          Loan Registration and Privacy Form

Vehicle Loan Agreement.  Once your registration is accepted and you are ready to borrow the minibus for a particular activity, simply phone our booking clerk to check whether the minibus is available (see "Who You Gonna Call?" section above).  If it is available, ask the booking clerk to make a provisional booking and then complete the loan agreement form below and return a scanned copy or photograph to the training officer (see "Who You Gonna Call?" section above) and/or post the original form to our registered address (see "Who You Gonna Call?" section above).  When the loan agreement is approved and signed by the training officer, then the booking clerk will raise a journey sheet for use by the driver who will be responsible for the minibus throughout the period of your loan.

Loan Agreement            Loan Journey Sheet

How to Pay.  We ask you to pay the minimum daily charge as deposit when you complete the loan agreement.  Until the deposit is paid your booking is not secured.  Cheques submitted with your loan agreement form will be cashed when the loan form is countersigned and the booking thus confirmed.  Deposits may also be paid by bank transfer (details below).  On completion of the loan journey, the total amount owed may be calculated on the journey sheet and paid in cash (less the deposit) when the minibus keys are returned.  Alternatively, the balance owed will be calculated by our treasurer and an invoice will be sent to you.  The invoice may be paid by cheque or bank transfer as follows:

Supporters

If you are interested in helping to keep our minibus on the road, possibly as a driver, committee member or fund raiser, then please click the [Read more] button below or call us (see "Who You Gonna Call?" section above).

Drivers, Fund-Raisers and Members, please click the [Read more] button below for more details on how LAMA is managed and run.

How to Donate.  If you are unable to donate your time, but would still like to support LAMA, then you may wish to make a financial donation to our association.  Donations may be made by cheque or bank transfer as detailed below, or by cash at one of our fund-raising events.  We are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority as a mutual society and we are treated as a charity for tax purposes.  Consequently, your donations may be gift aided, thereby allowing us to claim back the tax that you have already paid on your donation.  You must, of course, be a tax payer for us to do this, but if you are then we invite you to please complete a gift aid form and return it to our treasurer as follows:

Single Donation Gift Aid Form            This and Future Donations Gift Aid Form