TRANSPORT is less of a barrier to getting to work for people in a remote and rural region of Wales thanks to a fleet of scooters part-funded by a countryside charity.

A novel, not-for-profit initiative headed by a woman with strong links to agriculture has created a pool of 12 scooters for loan – with another seven available next year thanks to support from the Prince’s Countryside Fund.

The scheme, part-funded by the South West Wales Integrated Transport Consortium, was started by Caroline Wilson, whose husband worked as a shepherd and, as such, had first-hand experience of the limitations of transport in farming communities.

Through the other transport initiatives that she runs at Green Dragon Bus at Bwlch-y-Groes, Pembrokeshire, she became aware of the difficulties some people from farming families in that area had in getting to work.

“A lot of people have crazy shift patterns and just can’t get to work. One young man was being driven from Newport to Canaston Bridge daily by his grandfather who then had to collect him again in the afternoon,’’ Caroline explained.

“There is very little, if any public transport in some rural parts of Wales and if people are working shifts they are not able to get a lift to or from work.’’

She approached organisations for funding and is now able to offer a fleet of 125cc Honda Visions, for between six and 12 months, at a cost of £35 a week.

Green Dragon Bus, a third sector organisation, is able to fund the cost of participants taking their Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) and provides safety equipment including a helmet.

“We have had some very positive interest in the scheme, it has been a lifeline for many people,’’ said Caroline.