|
The RTP Concept
The RTP scheme was set up by the Countryside Agency in 2001 to replace two transport grant schemes. It provided grants for rural transport services and facilities. The grants were to help secure long-term improvement in people’s access to jobs, services and social activities and in visitors sustainable access to the countryside.
All areas in rural England could apply including villages, country and market towns. Projects that bring visitors from larger towns into the countryside could also have received funding. The scheme aimed to help local communities to identify and meet their transport needs through appropriate projects. The scheme provided support for all types of transport projects including cars, buses, rail, boats, scooters, cycling, and walking. Projects that reduce the need to travel such as mobile services were also supported.
The scheme promoted the formation of local partnerships (called local rural transport (RT)
partnerships), where partners could take a joint view of the transport needs of the local communities and develop suitable projects to meet those needs.
Under the partnership route, local organisations such as local authorities, voluntary or private sector groups, rural community councils, local youth centres got together to form a RT partnership to:
• look at existing transport services in the area;
• identify transport needs of the local people;
• draw up an Action Plan for developing projects that meet local transport needs and have local support.
In April 2005 SEEDA, the Regional Development Agency for the South East, took over responsibility for this programme providing funding for a further year. The RTP programme will now officially end in March 2007 and will be replaced with a new programme focused on 'rural access to services', details of the new programme will follow shortly.
|
