AN upper dale community transport scheme has welcomed a brand new bus to replace one that is no longer fit for purpose.
The vehicle, which was delivered to Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (Utass) earlier this month, was custom built by South Shields firm Vic Young Ltd.
It also features an internally stored tail-lift to provide access for wheelchair users.
Grace Crawford, from Utass, said the bus it replaces was the first bought for the community transport project in 2010.
She added: “We have always made sure the buses are accessible, but there has been an issue with the tail-lift on the current bus that this one is replacing because it was externally stored, so it hasn’t lasted as well as it should have.
“The other bus has a ramp access which just isn’t as nice for people to use to get wheelchairs into the bus. Also, for wheelchair passengers it isn’t the nicest experience.
“This is a lot better for accessibility and use for all.”
The bus can seat 14 people, while the second bus, bought in 2016, can carry ten.
Along with transporting people to Utass activities they are also used by various groups and organisations including a local walking football team, Rainbows, Scouts, WI and schools.
In the past year the buses have covered 7,000 miles providing a community transport service.
Ms Crawford said: “The whole project is possible because we have a fantastic team of volunteer drivers who are willing to give their time towards providing a service for community transport.”
More than a dozen people offer their time to support the scheme.
The bus conversion cost £55,975 and was made possible by a £38,342.50 grant from Durham County Council’s Local Transport Plan and £12,000 from Teesdale Action Partnership’s area budget.
County councillors Richard Bell and Ted Henderson contributed £2,000 each from their neighbourhood budgets and Utass provided £432.50 of its own funds.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
