Cuts to community transport 'devastating' as decision over future expected in 'next few days'

Families of vulnerable young people say that proposed cuts to community transport would be 'devastating.'

Funding for community transport in Northern Ireland is set to come to an abrupt stop in a number of weeks, due to funding cuts amidst a £112 million budget shortfall at the Deparment for Infrastructure.

Transport providers have warned that if the cuts go ahead, they will no longer be able to operate with a number of day care facilities which rely on transport services also being forced to close.

"Should we lose this service it will be just devastating to us as a family," Aine McManus, whose daughter Sarah uses Fermanagh Community Transport, told UTV.

Sarah uses the bus to get to a the Safe Haven day care centre in Enniskillen.

"It would mean either one of us giving up our jobs and Sarah, maybe eventually having to go into a home if Safe Haven closes down or we lose the community rural bus," Aine explained.

Every year, around a quarter of million journeys are made through community transport to help people like Sarah.

Without the rural bus service, Sarah would not be able to go to the day care service. Credit: UTV

"We don't know what's going to happen post July to continue those," Jason Donaghy, the manager of Fermanagh Community Transport told UTV.

He said the service is especially vital in Co Fermanagh given that it is one of the most rural parts of the UK.

"You replicate this across every county in Northern Ireland - 250,000 trips, that's to GPs, to hospital appointments, day opportunities to day care. These aren't luxuries; these are essentials," Jason said.

"Our funding runs up until 31st July - thereafter, as of yet, we have no indication - the uncertainty, anxiety and the stress it is causing," he said.

The Safe Haven centre itself is facing an uncertain future - of the 41 people that use the facility, 27 use the bus to get to the centre.

"Our young people need this and it's unfortunate in one way that in Fermanagh we are so rural and that everything is based in Enniskillen," said Rhonda Morrow, manager of the centre.

"It's just so important that this isn't taken away from them," she added.

Around two thirds of the people who go to Safe Haven day care centre use community transport. Credit: UTV

The Department for Infrastructure says it has an estimated budget shortfall of £112 million and that it is considering responses from a public consultation over the impact of any cuts to community transport.

"The Department welcomed all views about the potential impacts this would have on public services including community transport," the Department said in a statement to UTV.

|Responses that were received by 12 June 2023 are being used to inform remaining decisions on how the Department allocates its initial resource budget.

"This initial resource allocation should be finalised in the next few days. Any further responses, received before the consultation closes on 7 August 2023, will be used to inform further mitigation measures and reallocation of any additional funding that may become available during 2023-24.

"It is important that we assess the implications of the decisions that would need to be taken and indeed those that cannot be taken to cut funding in the absence of a Minister.”

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