The Wheels to Work service, which provides cost-effective
transport such as mopeds to enable people in remote rural areas to
travel to jobs and training, will run for the rest of the year with
the help of a £300,000 investment from Advantage West
Midlands.
Around 400 people are expected to benefit from Wheels to Work,
which is delivered by county councils in Staffordshire and
Worcestershire, the Community Council of Shropshire, Herefordshire
Voluntary Action, the CSWP (Coventry and South Warwickshire
Partnership) and Telford & Wrekin Council.
The scheme offers people travel advice and practical support to
enable access to employment and work-related training. This can
include moped hire, driving lessons, bicycle loans, small grants
and help devising travel plans.
The scheme's future was confirmed until next March after
Advantage West Midlands (AWM) completed a detailed update of its
Corporate Plan 2008-11 against the backdrop of a global recession,
a £48 million cut in its funding from Government and a
reduction in estimated land and property receipts of around
£20 million.
Phil Roberts, Rural Partnerships Director at AWM, said the
Agency was now working with Staffordshire County Council to prepare
an application for European funding via the Rural Development
Programme for England (RDPE) which could extend Wheels to Work
across the region up to 2013.
He said: "We have been through a challenging time in terms of
making choices and communicating difficult messages to partners
during our Corporate Plan review as we balance support for
businesses and communities during the recession with longer term
plans to ensure the region is prepared for the economic upturn.
"Wheels to Work formed part of a wider ranging project, the
Rural Access to Services Programme, which ended on March 31st this
year. However, the successful Wheels to Work element of that
programme had the most impact and was most valued by partners.
"I'm delighted that AWM is extending funding for the rest of the
financial year. This is not only a boost for people living in rural
communities, it is also a tribute to the hard work and dedication
of Wheels to Work partners managing the scheme day-to-day.
"Our key tasks now are to secure European funding and look at
how the project can become sustainable with the help of
contributions from more of the public sector partners whose clients
ultimately also benefit from the service."