Integrated Transport Initiative a model for rest of country

The pragmatism and ‘joined up thinking’ displayed by the people behind the new Westmeath Integrated Transport Initiative should be employed to solve the nation’s problems according to a Department of Transport official.A joint effort between a number of local voluntary and statutory bodies including Westmeath Rural Community Transport, the National Learning Network, the Irish Wheelchair Association, FAS, Westmeath County Council, Westmeath Community Development, People with Disabilities Ireland and the Health Service Executive (HSE), the aim of the new initiative is to improve local transport services and reduce costs by sharing resources and, where necessary, establish new transport routes to meet the needs of communities and organisations.With the aid of Westmeath County Council’s IT Department, all of the current routes used by local organisations such as the Irish Wheelchair Association and Westmeath Rural Community Transport were included in a new GIS map. Once the map was completed local service providers could identify where resources could be shared to be benefit of all involved. The new map also identified two “transport blackspots” that are now being serviced by two new routes (31 Clonmellon-Mullingar and 32 Boherquill-Mullingar) provided by the Westmeath Rural Community Transport Association.Ruth Barr Jordon of Westmeath County Council outlined to the Westmeath Examiner the financial as well as logistical advantages of the new systme.“Prior to the new integrated system if a local organisation had a client in an area that wasn’t on one of their bus routes, they would often have to book a taxi for them.Now they can check the new system online and see if another organisation has a bus route in the vacinity and if there is a vacant seat they can book it.”Speaking at the launch of the Integrated Transport Initiative, which was held in the Atrium of County Buildings in Mullingar, Secretary General of the Department of Transport John O’Mahony praised all involved for their ‘joined up thinking’ and said that the manner in which this “local issue has been addressed and solved” should be employed to solve our “national issues.” Due to the country’s current financial problems, he said that ‘the only options we have are to get better value for money, or to provide much less services,’ but as it is the most vulnerable that feel the effects of cutbacks most severly, we have to look for better value for money and that the people behind the Integrated Transport Initiative have shown that this is possible.