Archived decisions

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT VEHICLE FUNDING

To continue support for community transport schemes throughout the county, a decision was taken on 9 March 2004 to approve a project for Community Transport Vehicle funding at an estimated cost of £495,000, which supports Aims 1 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy (Maximising life opportunities and Improving services).

Contributions to the level of £310,000 have been received against the first round of purchases of community transport vehicles. This will be used, with further funds from the Local Transport Plan programme, for the purchase of additional vehicles which will be owned by the County Council and subject to service agreements with community transport providers. The schemes that will benefit are Basingstoke Community Transport (2 vehicles), Community Transport for East Hampshire (2 vehicles), Fareham Community Action (1 vehicle).

In addition, £185,000 is available from the Testbed Rural Bus Challenge bid to purchase four vehicles to prime the setting up of a new community transport scheme in Test Valley. The successful bus challenge bid will also be providing the majority of the first year costs of supporting a Transport Co-Ordinator for the new scheme, with the County Council providing the balance of funding required through the community transport budget.

An additional grant of £3,500 was awarded to Southern Test Valley Voluntary Transport Scheme to replace their minibus. It operates four days a week, providing a door to door service in Romsey town and the majority of parishes in the southern part of Test Valley for people who have a disability and who are unable to, or who find it difficult to use public transport. The service provides over 3,000 passenger trips a year. Test Valley Borough Council has agreed a matching contribution.

The need to develop the community transport sector has been identified in the Passenger Transport Best Value Review action plans. This latest round of support will help to provide a secure basis for the future funding of community transport schemes, enabling them to sustain and develop their services whilst supporting the Local Transport Plan objectives of accessibility and social inclusion.

JONATHAN K. GLEN,

Executive Member for

Spatial Strategy