This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding for community transport projects
30/12/2004
Community transport projects across Scotland, which help
people living in rural areas access vital services,
received a £925,230 funding boost today.
The funding from the latest round of the Scottish
Executive's Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI) has
been awarded to fourteen/fifteen voluntary projects to
provide community transport in rural areas where public
transport is limited.
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen said:
"The Executive is committed to improving transport in
rural areas. These awards totalling £925,230 will allow
voluntary organisations across Scotland to provide
transport projects, which help people living in rural
communities to access vital services.
"Projects to benefit include community minibuses,
dial-a-bus services and voluntary car schemes. Improving
transport links will help ensure that people without
regular access to a car or public transport do not feel
isolated.
"These community run projects help a wide range of
people, including the less mobile, elderly and youth groups
living in rural areas to be included in community life,
making a real difference to the quality of life for local
people."
Fifteen projects have been awarded £925,230 between
2005-08 from the Rural Transport Fund in the latest round
of the RCTI. A total of £11.4 million has been provided to
a total of 152 rural community transport projects over 12
rounds since the scheme was launched in August 1998.
This year's successful applicants cover a wide part of
Scotland. These include three projects each in Orkney and
Dumfries & Galloway, two each in the Highlands and
Scottish Borders, and one each in Aberdeenshire, East
Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross and Midlothian.
12 of the awards are for continuing
funding to projects supported by earlier rounds of the
scheme.