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North gets award for rural transport

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

The Department for Regional Development has won a top award as Best Local Authority/Passenger Transport Executive for their work in administering the Rural Transport Fund.

At the annual Community Transport Association Awards in Manchester, additional awards were given to two local rural transport groups. Fermanagh and South Tyrone Rural Transport Limited, (FAST) based in Irvinestown won the Best Rural Community Transport title and Kieren McCann from Rural Lift for South West Fermanagh, won the award for Community Transport Volunteer of the Year.

Transport Minister Conor Murphy congratulated the winners and said: "These awards reflect the hard work, commitment and vision of all the staff, volunteers, partners and members of the rural transport fund. It endorses the on-going work to ensure that transport needs for people with reduced mobility who live in rural areas are met.”

Notes to Editors:

  1. The awards were presented at the recent Access08 Annual Community Transport Association awards dinner held in Manchester in October 2008. Competitors were from England, Scotland, Wales and here.
  2. The Rural Transport Fund is administered By DRD and provides funding to 18 Community Transport Partnerships. The prime objective of the fund is to reduce social exclusion by improving/providing transport opportunities for people with reduced mobility in rural areas.
  3. The current level of funding to provide rural community transport is £3.75million.
  4. The Department ensures that transport initiatives supported by the RTF demonstrate that they address some or all of the following: Target social need by improving access to training or employment opportunities by rural people; Complement the work of other agencies involved in the development of rural communities; Support a range of community based activities and have a broad base of community support; Encourage volunteering activity
  5. Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Press Office, Department for Regional Development, tel: 028 9054 0372.