Rural Transport Fund

Partnerships between local community groups, local authorities and Translink have been central to Translink’s role in providing public transport for rural communities.

Translink has been active in the formation and in the management committees of the newly formed Rural Community Transport Partnerships, which operate services for group travel.

The role of the local Ulsterbus District Manager is to give advice and help to the management committees.

The Engineering Division has worked closely with the Purchasing Department to procure 25 fully accessible minibuses on behalf of the DRD. These vehicles are then leased by the Rural Transport Unit to Community Transport Partnerships for operational use.  The scheme has been so successful that a further 18 minibuses will be purchased on behalf of the DRD in 2003.

This close relationship between the community sector and the public transport sector is unique in the UK.