Rural Transport Initiative

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Rural Transport Initiative
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Rural Transport Initiative (RTI)

• Kerry Community Transport Ltd (KCT) One of 34
  Projects funded by the Department of Transports
  Rural Transport Initiative as part of the
  National Development Plan.
• KCT came about when the seven local development
  companies in County Kerry came together with
  Kerry Network of People with Disabilities and
  Kerry County Development Board and formed a
  company in 2002 to apply for funding under this
  initiative.
• Kerry Community Transport is a countywide project
  working to county boundaries as well as
  developing transport services linking other RTI
  projects to Kerry.

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• The highly successful RTI has been in a pilot
  phase since its commencement in Kerry in 2002,
  and will be mainstreamed in 2007 under the
  direction of the Minister for Transport and
  overseen by Pobal.
• South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd (SKDP)
  was instrumental in the establishment of the RTI
  in the region, and remains a key stakeholder.
• Its aim is to overcome rural isolation and
  associated problems through the provision of an
  integrated, affordable public transport service
  that links individuals living in rural
  communities with local services and facilities.
• As part of SKDPs ongoing commitment to the RTI,
  the Partnership employs a part-time Rural
  Transport Co-ordinator through the Local
  Development Social Inclusion Programme.

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• The South Kerry Rural Transport Co-ordinator
  works closely with Kerry Community Transport LTD
  in the delivery of Community transport services
  within the SKDP geographic area.
• The development and provision of transport
  services in South Kerry includes a range of
  actions spanning community consultation,
  identification of routes, tendering for service
  providers, monitoring usage and quality,
  promotion of the transport services and gathering
  feedback.
• Key stakeholders such as the HSE are actively
  involved in the ongoing development of community
  transport services in the region.

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• County Kerry Fifth Largest county in Ireland
  and covers an area of 4,875 km2. In 2002,
  Kerry had a population of 132,527 of which Tralee
  and Killarney account for 32,462 being equal to
  25. Thus 75 of the population live outside the
  two principle towns.
• In terms of key transport links, Kerry is poorly
  serviced, given its size and population and
  contribution to national tourism revenue. In
  2001, the county had 96Km of national primary
  roads, 335 km of national secondary roads and 454
  km of regional roads, and little had changed by
  2004. The county is especially poorly serviced
  with regard to railways, having only one line
  with four stations and a total length of 72Km.
• Economy of County Kerry is still dominated by
  agriculture, particularly dairy and livestock
  activities and tourism. The county has a
  relatively low industrial base with few large
  companies in manufacturing and services.

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• The County has a relatively high age dependency,
  with particularly large numbers of people aged
  over 65years (18,208 in 2002 census). Figures
  released by the National Council on Ageing and
  Older People predict that by the year 2021,
  approximately 28,500 people over the age of 65
  will be living in Kerry, and many will be living
  alone in isolated and rural areas.
• According to the 2002 census there are 11,497
  people living in Kerry who have a disability,
  46.7 of whom are aged 65 or older. The 2002
  census also showed that there were 8,640
  households (20.2) in Kerry with no car while 64
  of households had only one car.
• South Kerry covers roughly two thirds of the
  geographic area of the county landmass but has
  less than one third of the population. It has a
  significant rural population and is substantially
  more isolated and inaccessible than other parts
  of the county due to its topography of extensive
  mountainous terrain and rugged coastline.
• Therefore the Rural Transport Initiative in South
  Kerry is seen as a vital mechanism in promoting a
  social inclusion agenda and combating a range of
  problems associated with rural isolation.

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• At present there are 25 semi flexible community
  routes in operation in South Kerry. These can
  deviate up to two miles to collect passengers at
  their own doors if required, ensuring the service
  is meeting local needs, particularly those of the
  elderly
• Routes are awarded following a tender process,
  and as far as possible local providers are
  contracted to provide the services. All routes
  are coordinated centrally through the countywide
  call center and passengers advance book a seat on
  a service using a lo-call number. The base cost
  of traveling on one of the community services is
  4 single or return and free travel passes are
  accepted.
• Usage of the service in the county continues to
  grow
• 2005 58,090 passenger trips 7,392 services
  of which 3,165 were provided by fully accessible
  vehicles
• 2004 54,015 passenger trips
• 2003 34, 018 passenger trips

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• The Local Development Companies in County Kerry
  continue to play a key role in the Rural
  Transport Initiative as follows
• Pre-Development Working in advance of the start
  of any services, with local community and
  voluntary people.
• Animation Developing and encouraging the
  momentum to develop the project.
• Capacity Building Developing and supporting the
  role of the local community to manage the
  implementation of the project and to develop the
  ownership of the project over time.

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• Developmental Support Ongoing community
  development human resource support for the
  project. This support is critical to the
  development of local confidence in the project
  and is central to the development of the local
  ownership and service provision issues.
• Networking The Local Development Companies are
  ideally placed to provided local and regional
  networking support to the project and of the many
  local community and voluntary groups vital to the
  success of the project.
• Advertising Local Development Companies already
  have a huge contact database within the community
  and voluntary sector, which is a readily
  available advertising source for the project.

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• Models of Best Practice have been developed
• Innovative Service, flexible and responsive to
  needs (Particularly of those most disadvantaged
  or isolated).
• In Terms of operational (e.g. tendering,
  technology etc) and organizational (e.g. building
  of consultative sub-structures) issues.
• Introduction of quality standards to rural
  provision as local drivers sub-contracted to
  provided services are encouraged to undertake
  training to a required certification (MIDAS or
  PATS).

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• Collaboration and partnership have been developed
  at local level, which encourage and facilitate
  key sectors to work strategically together
• Linkages to existing transport network and to
  essential public services and facilities Kerry
  Community Transports excellent linkages to
  essential public services and facilities was
  remarked upon in an external evaluation carried
  out on the company in March 2004 by Fitzpatrick
  Associates for Pobal.
• Monitoring Evaluation

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• Community transport service development is
  ongoing within the Partnership. A range of new
  services have been piloted in an effort to meet
  additional community transport needs including
  those of rural young people, after-school
  services and community networks.
• Key Challenges Issues for the Rural Transport
  Initiative
• National Rural Transport Policy
• Funding
• Free Travel Pass
• Accessibility
• Other Challenges