Our Mission
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Our mission is to support the continuity of care for the nation's road transport heritage in an ever changing world.
We do this by providing cohesion and guidance, by representing our members to inform policy and by championing the work of the heritage transport preservation movement.
Who We Are
(also known as ‘NARTM’) is an umbrella charity supporting road transport preservation across the United Kingdom.
We represent the large majority of UK road transport collections, including museums, societies, charitable trusts and private collectors.
The National Association of Road Transport Museums
What We Do
We represent the interests of our members to the wider world...
... such as Government departments and agencies, regulators and funding bodies. We maintain a watch for emerging regulations which may affect members’ activities and we coordinate responses to public consultations.
We enable and facilitate collaboration...
... through our quarterly newsletters, bi-annual conferences and seminars. These provide a forum for sharing information, knowledge and experience between members.
We advise and assist our members...
... by sharing best practice and examples of policies and procedures. We provide guidance and help to members who are seeking to achieve museum accreditation.
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We champion and promote the work of our members...
... through initiatives like The Bus Inspectors podcast and our annual leaflet which champions our members' collections to potential visitors across the UK.
We promote long-term thinking and cohesive strategy...
... by maintaining a definitive register of preserved vehicles and running The Bus Inspectors project to score and grade the nation's historic buses and coaches.
Our Activities
Meetings & Visits
Members’ meetings are held in the Spring and Autumn. The October meeting also includes the Annual General Meeting.
These meetings are held over a weekend, hosted by one of our member organisations and we engage with those organisations to produce a programme of events that enable members to socialise and exchange their experience in less formal surroundings.
Many of these meetings are followed by an event the following day, either to view the host’s collection or to visit another heritage attraction on one of their vehicles.
Guidance & Best Practice Publications
NARTM publishes guidance on many issues, such as the operation of free bus services by non-commercial organisations.
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In addition, NARTM holds copies of its members’ policies and procedures which may be used by fellow members to assist in the development of customised documentation to suit their specific circumstances in relation to regulations, museum accreditation or best practice in managing any aspect of their activities. These cover topics such as:
â–º Collections management
â–º Vehicle operation and maintenance
â–º Health & safety
â–º Security and risk
â–º Managing staff and volunteers
â–º Interfaces with the public
â–º Protection of vulnerable people.
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Legislation & Regulation
NARTM constantly monitors proposed changes to legislation and regulation which could affect its members and actively participates in consultation.
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Through gathering and presenting data from its members, NARTM has achieved some notable successes in achieving modifications to proposed regulations for the benefit of the heritage sector. Recent issues have been the consultation on changes to MOT requirements for historic vehicles and the recent legislation on the age of tyres.
At present, our focus includes Clean Air Zone legislation, the continued availability of fuels for our vehicles and safeguarding our ability to share our historic vehicles with the public by using them on the road.
Assessment of Preserved Vehicles
NARTM is leading a nationwide project to score and grade the vehicles within its members' collections. This will provide an overview of our bus and coach heritage and offer a mechanism for future prioritisation of resources for the benefit of the most significant survivors.
You can find out more on the project's own dedicated website, TheBusInspectors.com.
Our Own History
NARTM was formed more than 40 years ago, bringing together those who had, as individuals or as a small group, taken the initiative to care for examples of their local public transport heritage.
Over those years, many heritage road transport organisations have sought to become more professional and formal in the way they are constituted and managed. NARTM has been instrumental in driving this change through all the activities described above.
NARTM has, itself, also become more formal. It is now a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.
NARTM membership has risen considerably in recent years and represents the full spectrum from large public sector museums with full time staff (such as the London Transport Museum) to smaller volunteer run charities and museums, as well as individuals’ private collections. Between them they hold over 6,000 historic vehicles.
Our Governance
The NARTM Board of Directors consists of persons from member organisations who have many years’ experience. They give their time, advice and resources freely.
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The Directors, who are all Trustees, are elected by NARTM's members. Officers appointed by the board include Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
Other officers look after Membership, Database, Policies & Procedures, Public Affairs, Communications and Museums Liaison.
The Board meets periodically between the members’ meetings to progress new initiatives and respond to consultations on proposed legislation changes.