News story

24^th January 2001

FIGHT LAUNCHED FOR COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

Northavon MP Steve Webb has today launched a petition campaign to save South Gloucestershire’s threatened Dial-a-Ride Community Transport schemes.   Funding for the schemes runs out at the end of March and so far there has been no confirmation of further funding from the Government.   Some schemes have already lost staff, and users of the service, many of them elderly, are reported to be increasingly anxious about what would happen if the services were stopped.   Now Northavon MP Steve Webb, who wrote to the Government about the issue before Christmas but has still to receive a reply, has launched an urgent petition to persuade the Government to give the schemes longer term support.   Campaigners will be on the streets of Thornbury and Yate on Saturday, gathering petition signatures, and copies of the petition will be available from Steve Webb’s office on 01454 322100.   When a significant number of signatures have been gathered, the MP will present the petition to Parliament in order to show the Government the strength of local feeling on the issue.

Steve Webb said:

“Dial-a-Ride Community Transport schemes have been one of the great successes of recent years.   It is unthinkable that they should be allowed to close down after all that has been achieved.   It is also quite unacceptable that the Government has allowed them to come within a few months of running out of money without guaranteeing their future.  Community Transport has brought together a small number of committed staff and a large number of volunteers to improve the quality of life of our area.   I hope that our petition will put pressure on the Government to save our Dial-a-Ride Community Transport schemes and give them a long-term future”.

** ENDS **