Exclusive by Alan Quick

A RIBBON was cut by the Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Frank Letch, to mark the arrival of a new 15-seater accessible minibus to serve the Crediton area, paid for fully by the Department for Transport.

The bus arrived in Crediton this week and was welcomed by Crediton and District Community Transport users, councillors and supporters of the charity gathered outside the Crediton Community Transport office at the Council Offices, in Market Street, Crediton.

Tiverton and District Community Transport Association, which also administers Crediton and District Community Transport, went through a long application process to apply for the funding for the new minibus from the Department for Transport and was successful in receiving the full cost of the vehicle, £58,000.

The Mercedes Benz Sprinter LWB minibus will now be embarking on a new Passenger Club Scheme, which runs in addition to the popular Ring and Ride Scheme.

These transport schemes cover the Mid Devon area and have been set up to help disabled, elderly, rurally isolated people and people who find public transport a struggle.

The new Passenger Club will be operating on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Crediton and the surrounding villages and travelling on countryside scenic drives to varied destinations, such as garden centres, market towns and popular accessible attractions, usually finishing with lunch at a popular, comfortable inn.

The new minibus is fully accessible and passengers can be collected from their front door, be offered a helping hand or, if steps are a problem, the minibus has an electric tail-lift which enables people to access the bus with ease and comfort.

Cllr Letch described the arrival of the minibus as a “welcome asset to Crediton and the villages around it” and said it will help a great deal in helping solve some of the rural isolation problems some people encounter.

He praised the work of the staff, drivers and volunteers from Tiverton and Crediton Community Transport Association’s.

Faye Ashton, manager of the Transport Association’s said she was “delighted” that the process which began 18 months ago with the Department for Transport had come to fruition.

She described the minibus as “magnificent” and said it was “the beginning of a great new journey for Crediton Community Transport!”

Faye explained that she was currently advertising the vacancy for the paid position of a part-time driver for the minibus and said details can be obtained by calling into the Crediton Community Transport office or emailing: [email protected] .

She also thanked Downes Crediton Golf Club who, after a plea was published in the “Crediton Courier”, has agreed to store the three Crediton Community Transport vehicles when not in use.

For more information on the Passenger Club Scheme, to book your place, or for any other information about how Community Transport could help you or someone you know, please contact Sarah Holmes in the office on 01363 773303, email at: [email protected] or visit the website: www.tdcta.org.uk .