Transport Resource Unit update - March 09

The Transport Resource Unit grant and work programme was last week approved by GMITA (formerly GMPTA). The new work programme will see us focusing our attention on a number of areas of work including supporting community transport operators, mapping volunteer car schemes, and producing a series of report on the barriers that some 'hard to reach' groups may face when accessing transport. We're always keen to hear suggestions on other issues that we should be looking at, or projects that we can support, so please get in touch and let us know what you're doing.

At the moment, we'd particularly like to hear from organisations that provide some form of health or wellbeing service and have found transport to be a particular barrier to service users. As you'll see below, we are currently researching the impact of transport on VCS health providers and the added benefits of demand responsive transport services, such as community transport, and we need some case studies to support this work.

Help the Aged are currently asking for people to get in touch with their experiences of falls on buses - an issue that they want to highlight for this year's National Falls Awareness Day on 23rd June. If you know of anyone who has experienced a fall while travelling on a bus please pass this onto them - see below for more information.

And finally, the end of this month sees the third 'I Bike Mcr' festival - a month long grassroots bike festival, organised and run by Manchester cyclists. Please see www.ibikemcr.org.uk for more information.