Reply - M3 Transport Service for Older Persons

That this Council will seek to facilitate a low-cost transport service for older persons for healthcare and other needs, along the lines of the Vantastic model in parts of Dublin City and Fingal, and that details of this will be brought to the relevant SPC's with a view to being introduced as Council policy by the end of this calendar year.

Vantastic is an initiative used by Dublin City Council in the North Central area of the City and have expressed an interest in doing something similar in the South Dublin County area. This is a Door-to-Door Transport Service for Older People and the service for the North Central area has an operating costs of over €51,000 per annum with Dublin City contributing almost 50%. 10% of the costs are covered by fares paid by the users.

It is acknowledged that many elderly people are largely dependent upon public transport. For older people, public transport service is a vital link between them and the wider community but barriers are faced by them in terms of:

•difficulties associated with walking.

•difficulties associated with boarding /alighting

•the perception of risk of accident due to vehicles moving off before passengers are seated, overcrowding and driving practices

•Feelings of Intimidation and vulnerablity

•Weather conditions

Having considered this initiative in conjunction with the Age Friendly County Alliance Group the Council is working with a local organisation who have acquired the transport and intend to put in place a 6 month pilot project which will be evaluated as to the use of the service and its impact on local communities. The Council will be supporting this initiative. This project also has the potential of a social employment opportunity within the county and the evaluation of the pilot will take this into consideration.