WEST Devon is to get its own Transport Access Development Worker with the help of a grant from Devon County Council. County councillors Roy Connelly, Alan Hosking, Christine Marsh and James McInnes have pooled £20,000 of funds from the county committee locality budget to joint-fund the post with West Devon Borough Council. The development worker will be employed by Tavistock and District Local Transport. The group formed to monitor and support the postholder, West Devon Transport Access Group, consists of representatives from Okehampton and Tavistock Community Transport groups, CVS, West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council. The role aims to promote social inclusion through research and assisting local groups with the development of sustainable transport schemes for older people, those with disabilities and young people. Cllr Roy Connelly, county councillor for Tavistock and chairman of the West Devon county committee, said: ?I am delighted that the West Devon County Committee is able to make a contribution to the development of transport initiatives which are so important to the rural community of West Devon.? Transport and access to services such as health, education, employment, shops, financial services and leisure facilities is a big issue for many people across West Devon and Dartmoor. The Transport Access Development Worker will aim to raise awareness of the access issues in the area and aim to reduce social exclusion, working with local communities and organisations to improve accessibility through transport for those people that experience the greatest difficulty. The role will involve supporting, advising and informing existing voluntary and community organisations as well as developing new initiatives by identifying gaps in services. The person responsible will also contribute towards the development of a sustainable transport infrastructure in West Devon to encourage walking, cycling and green transport solutions. The funding has been welcomed by the Tavistock and District Local Transport Partnership. Peta Humphries, Trustee of TDLTP, said: ?By appointing the transport access development worker, we hope to raise the profile of community transport in the whole of the West Devon area, to promote working together in order to make the best use of existing resources and to offer a referral point for transport issues.? The post starts in October and will run for 18 months.
