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Operator Name: Newry & Mourne Community Transport Background
Newry & Mourne Community Transport (NMCT) is a not-for-profit Community Transport organisation, which was formed in September 2007. Its primary functions are to provide Group Hire services to formally constituted community groups and voluntary organisations and accessible Door-to-Door services to individuals. Eligible groups or individuals must be based/live outside the urban area as defined by the DRD’s Urban Door-2-Door Scheme.
NMCT will encourage volunteering through its group hire policy where members of that group may undertake MiDAS training to drive vehicles on their group’s behalf and also by developing a Community Car Scheme in areas of need and where volunteers are available.
NMCT will also seek to form a trading arm to provide appropriate services and will also participate in suitable cross border initiatives.
Brokerage Agreements
We will endeavour to nurture and develop strong partnerships with other local transport providers from the community, voluntary, private, statutory and local government sectors. We see potential for working closely with our fellow Partnerships particularly in Newcastle, Lurgan and Armagh with a view to providing as comprehensive a service as possible to residents in our operational areas.
Focus on Unemployment/Training
In line with TSN objectives we will market our services at those seeking training or employment opportunities. Newry City is a natural hub for employment and training and we will endeavour to identify those individuals and groups from the rural areas who require assistance in attending educational centres and places of employment.
Community Cohesion
We will give priority to groups/individuals involved in cross community activity and whose aims are to build bridges between different faith communities and ethnic and cultural backgrounds. NMCT will also target Social Need, Inclusion & Inequality (health, education & housing).
ABOUT
Aims & Objectives
Reduce social exclusion in the rural areas of Newry & Mourne District Council Area by improving or providing new transport opportunities for people with reduced mobility, who are rurally isolated and/or those who are affected by poverty. We will achieve this by providing solutions to the transport problems faced by many people living in rural areas through Group Hire and Door-to-Door transport services
Membership
NMCT will provide transportation services to individuals and groups who are based or live in a rural area of Newry & Mourne District Council Area. Eligible groups or individuals must be based/live outside the urban area as defined by the DRD’s Urban Door-2-Door Scheme. See Appendix 1. Activities must fall within the following categories: -
(a) Education
(b) Employment
(c) Recreation
(d) Religious
(e) Training
(f) Other activities of benefit, which are in line with our Aims & Objective
Values & Vision
Newry & Mourne Community Transport Partnership will strive to deliver: -
(a) Accessibility
A service available to people with a range of disabilities and/or limited mobility
(b) Volunteering
Encourage volunteering and active citizenship through provision of group hire vehicles on a “without driver” basis and by promoting a Community Car Scheme
(c) Equality
Membership is open to everyone regardless of age, race, and ethnicity, religious or political beliefs
(d) Social Inclusion
Target individuals/groups living in marginalized circumstances and geographically deprived/isolated areas regardless of age, ethnicity, faith, gender etc.
(e) Target Social Need & Inequality
Endeavour to provide transport to facilitate training and employment opportunities we will target areas of deprivation with onus on health, education and housing
(f) Community Cohesion
Promote interactivity between different faith/cultural communities
(g) Partnership
Ensure that we complement the work of other agencies involved in the development of rural communities
(h) Participation
Ensure that members, providers and users are involved in the development of the company
(i) Dignity & respect
We will ensure that all customers, staff and volunteers are treated with dignity and respect
Staffing & Board
The founding members are representative of local voluntary and community organisations, statutory bodies and local government. The members appointed a Board of Directors and these would be responsible for managing the Company.
The day-to-day running of the Company will be the responsibility of the Project Officer and Administration Assistant who report to the Board of Directors at regular meetings. The Board of Directors is ultimately responsible to the members.
Operational Area (Area of Benefit)
NMCT area of benefit is the rural electoral wards of Newry & Mourne District Council Area
“The Market”
The rural population of Newry & Mourne comprises approximately 65,000 inhabitants* made up as follows: -
Aged 60+ - 10,000
Aged 16 & under - 17,000
Aged 17-59 - 38,000
With disabilities - 13,000
Lone pensioners - 8,000
Lone parents with dependent children - 5,000
Licensed cars - 28,000
No access to vehicles - 15,000
Vehicles registered to disabled drivers for transport & for people with disabilities - 2,700
Male/Female - 32,000/33,000
Catholic - 52,000
Protestant/other - 13,000
(* Source NI Statistics & Research Agency - www.nisra.gov.uk)
Current Position & Achievements to Date
Prior to the formation of this new Partnership, group hire services were provided to constituted community groups and organisations in rural areas of Newry & Mourne by The Newry & Mourne Community Transport Voucher Scheme (NMCTVS). The NMCTVS was a project run by The Confederation of Community Groups and funded by The Rural Transport Fund. 28 vehicles were brokered in from the private sector, 28 drivers were PATS trained and over a two year period 109 groups with membership of 4,000 were enabled to make 25,000 trips and travelled 44,000 miles. We worked along with the Rural Community Network Projects (ROSA & ROMAL) and Newry & Mourne HSST (Community Sector Training) to set up good governance procedures in many of the groups and jointly with the Community Transport Association and Down Community Transport provided PATS training to 28 drivers. We have worked in partnership with 11 private transport providers and organised training on Equality & Anti Discrimination Practice for the CT sub-committee. Disability Action provided this training. |
