OKEHAMPTON District Community Transport Group is helping drive thousands of pounds into the local economy through its Ring and Ride scheme.

The Community Transport Association in Devon has carried out its annual November survey looking at how much money is spent in the county by transport group users.

Nearly 3,000 Ring and Ride and Shopmobility service users were asked how much they had spent on their shopping trips in November. The anonymous responses of those who took part in the survey revealed that in total they had spent over £128,000 throughout the month.

Based on those figures, it is estimated that service users spent £2.19-million in Devon throughout last year. This means that for every pound invested by Devon County Council on community transport, almost £9 is spent in the local economy.

The survey figures show that the Okehampton District Community Transport Group is bringing thousands of pounds into the town’s economy each month.

Sue Wonnacott, co-ordinator of Okehampton District Community Transport Group said: ‘We are absolutely inundated with requests for our Ring and Ride scheme and community car scheme. We are using all our drivers very regularly so we are providing a real service.

‘For November, £4,200 was spent by our Ring and Ride passengers in Okehampton with an average spend of £65 per person per visit.

‘It is amazing to think that our elderly clients contribute so much to our local economy. They don’t just go into Okehampton for the supermarkets either, they go to other shops and meet friends for coffee.

‘It is a fight for funding for us now, like all other transport groups and many other organisations. We find we have to do more funding applications now than ever before but we are providing a real service.

‘Last year 3,200 passengers used our car service, 400 of those in wheelchairs. We made 5,200 journeys, 4,660 for health appointments and another 540 for social and domestic calls. Our drivers covered 92,200 miles which shows how busy we are and the service we provide.’

The Okehampton District Community Transport Group is a community led scheme supported by Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council to provide transport for the local rural community and for people who find it physically difficult to use conventional public transport, the frail elderly and those who are rurally isolated.

The Ring and Ride service brings residents from Hatherleigh, Folly Gate, Winkleigh, Exbourne, North Tawton and many other nearby communities into Okehampton town centre to attend appointments and go shopping.

The Okehampton transport group’s Community Car Scheme complements the Ring and Ride service and provides for more individual one-off journeys for the purpose of social visits, hospital visiting, doctors, dentists and chiropody and other appointments. Transport is provided by volunteer drivers using their own vehicles.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for highway management, said: ‘Community transport is extremely important in Devon in helping people to maintain their independence and continue living at home. It provides a lifeline to those who may otherwise be isolated and, as these figures show, it is also important in supporting the local economy.

‘Community transport, such as Ring and Ride and Shopmobility, helps people who find it hard to get around to access their local shops and other services. The benefits to our local market and coastal towns are clear, and the success of community transport is thanks to the dedicated staff and volunteers.’

To find out more about community transport in the Okehampton area, visit www.odctg.co.uk or call 01837 55000.