The Roscommon Community Transport Initiative has been named one of six nominees representing the county at the esteemed LAMA (Local Authority Members Association) Awards, set to take place at Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, on Saturday, February 22nd.

Established to address the increasing demand for accessible, reliable, and affordable transportation in rural County Roscommon, the initiative fills a critical gap where public transport options are scarce, and private services remain unaffordable for many low-income individuals.

Many residents, including the elderly, individuals with disabilities and those without private transport, often face difficulties in reaching essential services such as healthcare and education.

To tackle these challenges, the community transport initiative was introduced as a locally driven service connecting residents with vital resources. It operates as a flexible, demand-responsive transportation solution, supporting individuals attending scheduled training courses and non-emergency medical appointments, such as doctor and hospital visits.

The initiative’s success stems from its bottom up, needs responsive approach and the collaboration of various stakeholders, each playing a vital role in its development and continued operation.

Roscommon County Development Fund and Roscommon LEADER Partnership applied for initial set up funding through grant aid from the Community Recognition Fund delivered by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Roscommon County Council.

The continued role out of the programme in Roscommon LEADER Partnership is supported through the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP), Tus and Rural Social Scheme and through the continued support of many stakeholders including various Healthcare teams and Education providers.

The service also has another often-unseen benefit by providing users with vital information about available services within the area, including training opportunities, social prescribing, the Creative Café and Safe Link.

This approach ensures individuals receive essential information to improve their quality of life. The Community Transport initiative has had a demonstrable impact since its inception, with the following data showcasing its success. 

The scheme also serves a diverse range of participants, from elderly individuals and families with babies needing transportation to medical appointments and other individuals seeking access to educational opportunities while significantly improving user mobility and independence. In future, the scheme aims to enhance the impact on these groups by expanding their service offerings.

One user has highlighted their positive experience of using the initiative: “Rural transport has been an ongoing issue for rural dwellers for many years. While Local Link serves some rural locations there still remains “black spot” areas and sometimes the timetable for Local Link is not suitable to local needs.”

For another user, the availability of the Community Transport scheme was an invaluable support for adult learning: “GRETB have a number of learners availing of the Community Transport Initiative attending QQI Level 5 Courses. Without Community Transport this would not be possible as neither the National Transport Network nor Rural Link options would have worked.”

Among this year’s other nominees representing Roscommon are the Lough Funshinagh Rise and Thrive Project, the Roscommon Public Realm Enhancement Programme, Bernie Kearney from Four-Mile-House, Castlerea’s An Chistin and the North-West Accessible Kayak Launch.