Hopes for additional funding allocation to community transport

Hopes for additional funding allocation to community transport

8 January 2025

A LOCAL politician hopes additional funding can be secured for the district’s hugely successful community transport service.

Delivered by Down District Accessible Transport, the service was launched over 25 years ago and is viewed as a lifeline by many of those who use it.

Shortly before Christmas, Stormont infrastructure minister John O’Dowd said he recognised the important and valuable role the frontline service plays at the heart of communities.

He confirmed he has increased community transport funding by 4.5% at a time when public finances and budgets were under great pressure.

Mr O’Dowd said while the increase was not as much as he would liked to have provided, he hoped the additional monies would help alleviate some of the pressures faced by service providers.

In a letter to Rowallane councillor Terry Andrews, the DfI minister said he could not provide more money than he wished as his department has been operating in a difficult financial environment for a number of years due to underfunding and austerity.

Mr O’Dowd said he was committed to maintaining this level of funding in the new financial year.

Welcoming the ministerial commitment, Cllr Andrews said he hopes additional funding may be available for community transport providers in 2025/26.

“This is an extremely well used service by elderly and vulnerable who have no other way of getting out and about. It really is a lifeline for them,” he said.

“Those who use the service have built up a rapport with not only fellow passengers, but drivers and those who administer the service.”

Cllr Andrews said the community transport scheme was highly regarded and he would like to see it expanded if further funding became available.

He said the service plays a key role protecting people and those who provide it do a “brilliant job”.

He said the service provides people with an opportunity to get out of their homes and mix with others, describing the interaction as “invaluable”.

Cllr Andrews said it would be ideal if community transport providers across the country could secure ring-fenced funding over a two or three year period to make life easier for them.

“All those associated with the local community transport service deserve our thanks and praise for the excellent job they do. Many, many people would simply be lost without them.”

Cllr Andrews added: “The service not only helps people get out of their home for social interaction, but helps improve their mental health or assist travel to a medical appointment.

“The service really is a lifeline those who live in rural areas rely heavily upon.”