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26 June 2006

ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

A major milestone was marked today with a presentation to the two millionth passenger of Rural Community Transport.

David Gale from Killyleagh was presented with a piece of Tyrone crystal by Transport Minister David Cairns at an event in Belfast City Hall which also marked the launch of Community Transport Week in Northern Ireland.

The Minister said: "I'm delighted to be able to mark this milestone for Community Transport here by making a presentation to David. As Minister responsible for transport policy, I am acutely aware of the need to provide and indeed improve transport opportunities across Northern Ireland. Since its introduction in 1998 the Community Transport system here has helped people with reduced mobility to access training, healthcare, job opportunities, shopping and recreation."

Launching the start of Community Transport Week in Northern Ireland, the Minister also highlighted his Department's plans to expand the Transport Programme for People with Disabilities.

He said: "The provision of door-to-door services will be extended to another 27 urban areas throughout Northern Ireland. Similar door-to-door type services are already provided in Belfast by Disability Action and by Bridge Accessible Transport in Londonderry."

The event in the City Hall was organised by the Community Transport Association (CTA), who are the national body for the community transport sector and is the biggest provider of training, advice and information on accessible, voluntary and community transport provision.

Shauna Haughey from the Community Transport Association said: "CTA are really delighted to be organising this event, once again for Community Transport across Northern Ireland, to show the public and the government how effective and beneficial the services are to the entire community."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. Community transport in rural areas is provided by 19 Community Transport Partnerships, who receive funding from the Department under the Rural Transport Fund. The prime objective of the Fund is to reduce social exclusion by improving/providing transport opportunities for people with reduced mobility in rural areas.

  2. The currently level of funding to provide rural community transport is £3.75m.

  3. The Transport Programme for People with Disabilities (TPPD) aims to foster the development of accessible public and community transport opportunities for people with disabilities in Northern Ireland. The Programme will integrate within wider strategic transport policy developments and complement the work of other agencies involved in programmes designed to promote social inclusion.

  4. The extension of the TPPD by the Department will see door-to-door type services introduced into an additional 27 urban areas throughout Northern Ireland including Antrim; Armagh; Ballymena; Banbridge; Bangor and Holywood; Coleraine and Ballymoney; Cookstown; Craigavon Urban Area; Downpatrick; Dungannon; Enniskillen; Larne; Limavady; Lisburn and Dunmurry; Newry; Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus; Newtownards, Comber and Dundonald; Omagh; Strabane. At present this type of service is only available in Belfast and Londonderry.

  5. The Community Transport Association is the UK's biggest provider of training, advice and information on accessible, voluntary and community transport provision and has been at the forefront of promoting minibus safety for more than a decade.

  6. David Gale (the 2 millionth passenger) moved to Northern Ireland from England in 1994 and was one of the first members of Down Visually Impaired club. The club use Down Community Transport Partnership for their transport needs and have in the past helped raise funds for them. David is currently helping Down museum and Down Hospital in ensuring that signage is accessible for people with a visual impairment. David has a guide dog called Voley.

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