This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Boost for community transport projects
31/01/2002
Twenty rural communities across Scotland will benefit from the latest round of Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI) awards announced today.
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Lewis Macdonald announced £682,746 to help fund 20 new and existing projects such as community minibuses and voluntary car schemes.
Mr Macdonald said:
"The awards I have announced today will help community groups provide vital services to people in isolated areas who do not have access to a car or regular public transport.
"I am determined to see improvements in the choice and quality of transport available across the whole of Scotland. People in rural areas can often feel isolated if public transport links are limited or do not exist at all. Community projects bridge this gap in remote and rural areas and make a real difference to the quality of life.
"Buchan Dial-A-Bus a project I visited earlier in the year is a good example of an initiative that is allowing elderly and young people as well as those with disabilities, the independence and freedom which other people might take for granted."
The RCTI has to date supported 100 projects with £3.7 million.
This round of bids saw 34 applications received. The announcement today brings the total number of rural community transport projects supported by the scheme to over 110 since its launch in August 1998.
This year's successful applicants include four in Highland, three each in Aberdeenshire and Orkney, two each in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway and one each in Perth and Kinross, Midlothian, South Ayrshire and Eilean Siar. 12 of the awards are for continued funding to projects supported by earlier rounds of the scheme.
APPLECROSS COMMUNITY MINI-BUS
Council: Highland
Continued operation of an accessible minibus to provide group hire services to local voluntary organisations. Grant Awarded: £9,045
BALLATER (RD)
Council: Aberdeenshire
Continued operation of an accessible minibus to provide group hire services, primarily for groups of older and disabled people. Grant Awarded: £23,753
PAPAY DEVELOPMENT TRUST
Council: Orkney
Contract local operator to provide boat service between Papa Westray and Westray outside the normal school hours service. Grant Awarded: £3,330
ROXBURGH ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY SERVICE (TEVIOT WHEELS)
Council: Borders
Revenue funding to continue operation of two accessible 'people carriers' for hire by individuals and groups in the Roxburgh area of the borders. Grant Awarded: £41,287
WESTRAY DEVELOPMENT TRUST
Council: Orkney
Contract local operator to provide transport in the evening to enable children attending youth centre to get home. Grant Awarded: £7,668
WICK & EAST CAITHNESS CHURCH CT
Council: Highland
Continue operation of an accessible minibus on group hire services for voluntary organisations in Wick and East Caithness. Grant Awarded: £6,302
WRVS (STEWARTRY)
Council: Dumfries & Galloway
Operation of Women's Royal Voluntary Service community car scheme in the Stewartry area, including employment of part time manager and administrator. Grant Awarded: £47,577
BANFFSHIRE PARTNERSHIP LTD
Council: Aberdeenshire
Carry out a community transport feasibility study assessing need for the Partnership area (Portsoy, Aberchirder, Banff, Macduff, New Blyth). Grant Awarded: £3,850
TWEEDDALE ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS (TWEED WHEELS)
Council: Borders
Combine and enhance two existing local transport schemes by purchasing an accessible minibus and employing part time development and administrative staff. Grant Awarded: £60,323
WEST ALNESS RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Council: Highland
Contract local operator to provide transport to a local lunch club using an accessible minibus, as an alternative to the current system of using volunteers (non-accessible) cars. £3,617
BUCHAN DIAL-A-COMMUNITY BUS
Council: Aberdeenshire
Maintain and develop current dial-a-bus service by increasing staff numbers/hours and purchasing a second (smaller) accessible vehicle. Grant Awarded: £203,738
KILFINAN BUS ASSOCIATION
Council: Argyll & Bute
Continue operation of a 'people carrier' available for hire to local groups and individuals for social and sporting events and to feed into existing public transport. Grant Awarded: £2,654
KINROSS VOLUNTEER GROUP & RURAL OUTREACH
Council: Perth & Kinross
Continue operation of a community car scheme, including payment of volunteers expenses, employment of a part time co-ordinator and general office costs. Grant Awarded: £10,457
LOTHIAN COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SERVICES
Council: Midlothian
Continue and expand Community Bus services and Small Bus Permit services operated in Midlothian, including driver costs, vehicle revenue costs and clerical support. Grant Awarded: £41,321
ORKNEY DISABILITY FORUM
Council: Orkney
Deliver Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme (MiDAS) training on a local basis on islands around Orkney in order to improve quality and quantity of available drivers and to act as a focus for the development of the local community transport (CT) sector in Orkney. Grant Awarded: £11,283
GLENKENS COMMUNITY & ARTS TRUST
Council: Dumfries & Galloway
Establishment of a CT project in the Glenkens (upper Stewartry) which would purchase and operate a 14 seat accessible minibus for use on group hire services by local voluntary organisations. Grant Awarded: £43,875
HIGHLAND RURAL CT TRAINING GROUP
Council: Highland
Establish a locally managed training fund for financing MiDAS, Passenger Assistant and Car Scheme training for recognised CT groups and their affiliates/members in Gairloch, Caithness, Lochaber, Badenoch & Strathspey. Grant Awarded: £19,789
ISLAY & JURA COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES LTD
Council: Argyll & Bute
Contract local bus operator to provide a 'through service' from Craighouse on the Isle of Jura to Bowmore on the Isle of Islay on a weekly (Thursday evening) basis. Grant Awarded: £15,993
STEPPING STONES
Council: South Ayrshire
Employ a local co-ordinator to establish a co-ordination/brokerage service, and contract local commercial operator(s) to provide transport to fill identified gaps. Grant Awarded: £59,254
VOLUNTARY ACTION LEWIS
Council: Eilean Siar
Purchase accessible minibus for operation on group hire services to voluntary organisations in Lewis. Also to employ full time community transport development worker for Lewis area. Grant Awarded: £67,360
Details of the above winning projects announced today are available from the contact below.