Devon County Council

From Adrian Lane, Exeter 383262, October 12, 2007

DEVON'S Community Transport projects will come under the national spotlight next week.

The Chief Executive of the Community Transport Association UK, Keith Halstead, has accepted an invitation from Devon County Council for a two day visit. On Tuesday 16 October he will see some of the projects in the county at work, and the following day he will speak to the wider network of Devon Community Transport schemes at the Cardinal Newman Centre in Exeter, informing the groups about national community transport trends and issues.

Devon Wheels to Work, Community Buses and Rural Voluntary Car Schemes will be among the successes highlighted during the visit.

Councillor Margaret Rogers, Devon County Council Executive Member for Environment, said: "This is a great chance for Mr Halstead to meet some of our community transport team and some of our local groups to hear first hand about the projects and the challenges they face in running their organisations. Visitors like Mr Halstead, whose work is focussed on Community Transport give encouragement to such schemes as we have in Devon and take away valuable information to pass on elsewhere."

Devon Wheels 2 Work, which is part funded by Devon County Council, launched county-wide for the first time in April. It is the first Wheels 2 Work scheme in the country to set up a Community Interest Company. This will allow it to generate income for the future of the project, on a not for private-profit basis, through contract work and product sales.

The scheme loans mopeds to people to enable them to get to work. Full training is provided along with helmet, jacket and gloves. By amalgamating three local schemes in Holsworthy, Honiton and North Tamar, the countywide scheme has extended its operations to help people aged up to 65.

Mr Halstead will also visit the Ockment Centre in Okehampton at 12:45pm on Tuesday to meet trustees, staff and volunteers from the Okehampton and District Community Transport Group. It operates the local Ring Ride minibus service and a voluntary car scheme which is funded in partnership with Devon County Council. Volunteer drivers have been recruited from villages in the area to provide journeys, using their own cars, to help people who cannot use public transport get to essential services and appointments.

Representatives from the voluntary management committee of Tavistock Community Bus will also travel to Okehampton for the meeting with Mr. Halstead. They will promote the contribution which Community Buses make to the local transport network. Some of the Community Buses have been operating for 30 years in Devon providing timetabled bus services in areas of the County which are remote from regular public bus routes.

Notes for Editors:

Councillor Margaret Rogers, 01297 680384.

Media representatives are invited to the Ockment Centre, Okehampton, at 12:45pm on Tuesday 16 October.