20/07/04 - Rural wheels are turning

Cumbria County Council is establishing a new transport service called `Rural Wheels' in rural areas outside Carlisle. The service will begin later in the Summer. 

Rural Wheels is a unique transport scheme that provides transport for people in rural areas who could not otherwise travel because their journey cannot be made on a bus or train. The aim of the service is to make better use of transport already available in the area. The new service can be used to link to existing bus and train services. 

The scheme involves "smartcard" technology which is being piloted for the Department for Transport. The "smart card" will be used instead of cash on the vehicles provided and builds on a successful pilot project which began in South Lakeland in November 2002. The cards can be topped up at Cumbria County Council's libraries or at local post offices. Travel using the card will be charged at 30p a mile. The smartcard will also enable the Council to record transport use and calculate people's needs. The vehicles used are likely to be either cars or mini buses, depending on the needs of the passengers using them. County Councillor Kevan Wilkinson, Cabinet spokesman forTransport says, 

"Cumbria County Council is committed to social inclusion and the support of rural transport schemes. I look forward to the smartcard Rural Wheels scheme taking off in the next few months." 

People who want to use the new `smartcard' Rural Wheels scheme need to register by calling the Rural Wheels Coordinator on 01228 606721. The Rural Wheels transport service will be available Monday to Friday between 9 am and 5 pm. 

The Rural Wheels project will operate until March 2006 using £217,000 funding from the Countryside Agency and the Department for Transport. The funding will be used for equipment and as a means of subsidising the service.