Extra funding announced for Community Transport schemes (From Western Telegraph)

Extra funding announced for Community Transport schemes

10:42am Wednesday 29th April 2009

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I was delighted to hear the recent news that Pembrokeshire community transport schemes will receive extra funding from the Welsh Assembly Government. Schemes such as the Town Rider scheme will be amongst fifteen community transport schemes across Wales that will receive an extra £1m in 2009/10 following the announcement by Plaid’s Economic and Transport Minister. A few weeks before the announcement I held an event in the Senedd where representatives from PACTO (Pembrokeshire Association of Community Transport Organisations) made a presentation highlighting the work they do locally. It was an excellent event and It gave projects from across Wales, including PACTO, an opportunity to show AM’s and Ieuan Wyn Jones how important their work is to the local community. This pilot project has proved to be extremely popular and worthwhile and it has given many people greater independence and as a result an improved quality of life - particularly in our rural communities. Over 530,000 passenger journeys have been undertaken over a three and a half year period in Wales already and the importance of this service to our communities was highlighted during the event I held in the Senedd recently. Many service users told me that without this service they would not have any sort of life at all and would be stuck in the house without any company. This money will now ensure that the excellent work that has already been achieved in this area can now continue.