Revenue Funding for Period April 2013 to March 2014
Closing date for applications - 30 August 2012
Information for those who wish to apply for revenue funding from The Highland Council towards supporting the provision of a community transport project to be delivered in the 2013 – 2014 financial year.
Public transport in communities can sometimes be considered to be inflexible and not suitable for some customers the limited funding available may go some way to deliver more flexible transport to more people. We would hope to build from the networks and services already operating by redesigning or supplementing with additional or more flexible provision
Flexible and Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) includes services which:
- Are booked in advance by users and only run when there are people to carry. These demand responsive forms of transport include taxis, private hire vehicles, community transport, dial a dial a bus and community car schemes.
- Are able to be booked or arranged by public agencies to respond to travel needs for patient transport, school transport, social services and employment agencies.
- Run on a fixed route unless people book in advance to request a diversion based on their required travel needs. Flexibility is sometimes only needed at certain times of day or on certain days of the week. These can include many rural public transport services and other transport serving areas of low demand.
- Volunteer car schemes which provide local solutions to the needs of communities where public transport does not exist. Volunteers are coordinated and transport people to a range of appointments and transport hubs locally.
As part of the application process the applicant group will need to be at least a constituted group and be able to justify;
- Why your transport project is required
- What needs will be served by the transport organisation
- What will be required to sustain your project
- How you will be able to achieve your aims
- How will your service be delivered
- How will you engage with your community
- Who will benefit from the services of your project
- Who will run the services in the future
- When will your group start the service
- When will the services be delivered
- Where will the services be delivered
- Where will potential users find out about the services you provide
To be eligible for funding from the Community Transport grant scheme your application will need to satisfy the following tests:
- Only be an application for revenue funding
- Provide a map of the area in which the community transport will be provided
- Demonstrate there is no or very limited public transport available in the area the project is to be delivered
- Be able to demonstrate need for the project through a current community needs assessment (Could make it a transport needs assessment )
- Transport must be open to all ages in the Community ( or clearly be able to demonstrate why this should not be the case)
- Be able to provide costings and analysis of journeys and services
- Be providing a service which is demonstrably servicing the needs of community transport