NEWS RELEASE
14 June 04
Dial-a-ride in Midsomer Norton and Radstock
Bath & North East Somerset Council, the Countryside Agency and the
Rural Transport Partnership hope to be working together soon to
provide a door-to-door transport service in the Midsomer Norton area
aimed at helping those who cannot use conventional public transport.
The Dial-a Ride scheme will be based on the success of a similar
scheme in Keynsham started in April this year.
“The Keynsham Dial-a-ride scheme has been a real success and we have
had very positive feedback from local people there– it helps people
remain independent and improves their quality of life dramatically.
We are both convinced it will be equally useful to people who live
in the Norton Radstock area”, commented Francine Haeberling,
Executive Member for Social Services, and Sir Elgar Jenkins,
Executive Member for Transport.
The community Dial-a-ride service in Midsomer Norton will operate on
similar lines to the service in Keynsham. There a fully accessible
minibus provides door-to-door transport for members of the community
who cannot access conventional public transport. Potential users
have to register in advance with the service and can then book
transport the day before the trip is needed. Full details of how to
register will be publicised before the service starts.
Keynsham & District Dial-a-Ride was launched on the 1st April 2004
and has proved incredibly successful in its first year of operation.
There are currently 426 registered users, of which 70 are wheelchair
users. The number of passenger journeys carried out by the service
has steadily risen since it’s launch and now carries out
approximately 160 single passenger journeys a week.
Funding for the Midsomer Norton Dial-a-Ride scheme has been provided
from the unallocated sum in this years Bath & North East Somerset
Council budget specifically se aside to meet the dual priorities of
promoting the independence of older people and improving the quality
of public transport.
Editors Note
A full report on the proposal will be in the Weekly List due to be
published Friday 4 June.
For comment please contact:
Councillor Francine Haeberling, Deputy Leader and Executive Member
for Social Services. Tel: (01225) 872199 Mob 07980 998861
Councillor Sir Elgar Jenkins, Executive Member for Transport and
Highways. Tel (01225) 314834 Mob 07980 998589
For more information contact
Emma George, Public Transport Officer (Community transport). Tel
(01225) 477609 |
