27/11/2008 - Rural Wheels praised in national report

A Cumbrian transport scheme has been hailed as the future of rural travel in a national report published today (November 27).

The Government’s transport advisor, the Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT), is calling for a large scale, long-term pilot to assess how shared taxi services – such as Cumbria County Council’s Rural Wheels scheme – could transform rural transport in Britain.

CfIT has looked at these types of schemes in operation across Europe and the UK - including Rural Wheels - and its report, A New Approach to Rural Public Transport, comes to the conclusion that a seven-year pilot offering subsidised, on-demand door to door services should be carried out to evaluate how it could improve accessibility, raise social inclusion and offer various other benefits for people in rural communities.

While many areas of the country are yet to experience this type of transport system, it has been in operation in Cumbria for around six years

Rural Wheels kicked off in South Lakeland in November 2002 and has now been rolled out across the county.

Rural Wheels is a demand response travel scheme that allows people living in rural areas to book a ride in advance, get picked up from their home and travel to their nearest town or the nearest public transport service for 30 pence per mile. It is designed to make best use of the transport resources available in the county and help people in rural areas get around where scheduled buses and trains are not accessible so they can reach services and link up with conventional transport systems nearby.

It also uses smartcard technology so passengers avoid having to hand over cash to the transport provider and they can top up the card at various outlets including libraries and post offices. 

Councillor Alan Clark, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for passenger transport, said: “I’m not surprised the report has identified this kind of scheme as being the future for transport in rural areas.

“Rural Wheels is proving successful in Cumbria in delivering an efficient, easy to use service for people where running buses is just not viable.

“It’s cost effective, runs door to door when it is needed and does a good job in bringing people together to avoid social exclusion.

“I’m pleased CfIT has recognised the need to encourage this type of scheme across the country because in Cumbria we are already showing how well it can work.

“We are always trying to get more people involved in the Rural Wheels as well, so I would encourage people living in rural areas to make use of the scheme.” 

Notes

Joining Rural Wheels is quick and easy. People simply fill out one of the short forms available at dozens of outlets around the county including libraries, mobile libraries, post offices and various newsagents and shops, parish councils and doctors’ surgeries. They can also request a form by ringing 01228 226721 or emailing publictransport@cumbriacc.gov.uk.

Once they return the form with a payment of £5, they will receive a credit card sized plastic smartcard with 500 points. That card can then be presented to the driver instead of cash. Each 30 points (30p) buys one mile of travel with the county council picking up the rest of the charge per mile. The smartcards contain an electronic chip that stores points and can be topped up at outlets around the area.

CfIT reports and other information can be found at http://www.cfit.gov.uk/

To view the report A New Approach to Public Transport, visit http://www.cfit.gov.uk/docs/2008/rpt/technical/appendix-c.htm

Media enquiries to media officer John Ballard on 01228 226330.