John Taylor, a prominent figure in community, rural, and accessible transport, has died from cancer at the age of 74. His work focused on improving transport services for many people affected by privatisation, poor planning, and reduced public funding.
In the 1970s, while volunteering in Manchester, Taylor observed the minimal resources available for accessing community buses, often involving makeshift steps. This observation became the foundation of his career.
He co-founded Manchester Community Transport (MCT) and in 1984 became the founding director of Community Transport Services, which later became the national advisory body, Community Transport Association UK (CTA). Taylor was also instrumental in devising MiDAS (the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) in the 1990s. MiDAS was adopted nationally in 1994 as a training scheme for volunteer minibus drivers, and 30 years later, CTA UK issued its one millionth driver assessment certificate.
Born in Cambridge, Taylor moved to south London as an infant. He was a gifted student at Whitgift school in Croydon and later studied philosophy, politics, and economics at New College, Oxford, in 1971. He moved to Manchester for postgraduate study and remained in the north for the rest of his life, where voluntary work led him into the transport sector.