I am currently the treasurer of the Rural Transport Network and I am joined by my three colleagues who sit on the network's steering committee. The Rural Transport Network exists as a representative body of the 36 local companies which run the rural transport programme, RTP, a Department of Transport programme. It is managed and administered by Pobail on behalf of the Department of Transport. As we speak, there are 36 local companies operating the programme in all 26 counties and their representative body, Rural Transport Network, has a ten person steering committee.
I draw the committee's attention to the figures for 2008, the most recently published ones. In 2008, there was RTP funding of €8.3 million allocated to local companies at ground level, 72% of which was directly put into operations, and there were 1.2 million passenger trips. A simple calculation, €8.3 million divided by 1.2 million, gives €6.92 per passenger trip in 2008 which, we argue, is extremely good value for money.
On other facts and figures, the programme has over 1,300 volunteers, contracts 326 private operators and has 737 drivers associated. Some 76% of our passengers in 2008 used door-to-door services. That is a key figure because it is the key aspect of the rural transport programme. No other public transport service provides that. If my house is 500 yards from an excellent hourly Portlaoise to Dublin service, for example, and I cannot travel that 500 yards, that service is no good to me. There are numerous reasons I might not be able to access that 500 yards such as reduced mobility and the need of aids.
To explain how all of these high figures were achieved I will start with the structures and policies at a higher level. It all started in 2002 with the rural transport initiative, which covered seven pilot areas. In 2003, the programme was extended to cover 34 areas. In 2005, the pilot programme was reviewed and Fitzpatrick Associates produced its report. Subject to that report, the programme was mainstreamed in 2006. At that stage it was envisaged that the rural transport programme be encompassed into the national development plan and there would be increments in funding over the lifetime of that plan to reach €18 million by the end of the national development plan. Presently, the RTP is striving for national coverage with 36 local companies across the country.
On what happened at local level, it is widely accepted that the availability of transport is an essential part to sustaining life, especially in rural areas. Given that in those areas population density is low and dispersed, the transport provision must be innovative and people centred. It will never be commercially viable. The key is that as we have people out there and we know they need access to transport, how we can best meet that need. That need was met by local companies. Those companies grew organically. How one must do it was not pre-described. It was organically growing at local level.
Typically, board members on these local companies are representative of both statutory bodies and local communities, and that mix is vital to getting the correct rural transport services in local areas. What has happened is those in local companies are the best placed to identify the gaps in their own areas but, in addition, they are the best placed to provide local solutions to local needs. As evidence of that, over the past six years the RTP has touched on the lives of all sections of society such as the elderly, school children, third level students, commuters, lone parents, persons with disabilities — the list is endless. The reason we have been able to touch on all of these people's lives is that we are flexible and locally based.
As I stated, there were 1.2 million passenger trips recorded in 2008. That tells us three main points. First, it tells us that there is a significant need in rural areas for public transport. It also tells us that the local approach is meeting the need at local level. Third, it tells us that there is considerable expertise and experience at local level, at planning, designing and operating local transport services.
On what others have to say about it, Mr. Declan Carey, an external consultant who had six months' experience of dealing with projects on the ground, stated that the RTP is a success story, it adds significant value to the lives of a numerous but scattered population who are difficult to reach, it is a strategic enabler of a range of services from health care to active citizenship, its value lies in its flexibility to respond, and its future potential lies in its ability to integrate, co-ordinate and innovate. This raises two key points. He was able to identify easily that the provision of rural transport gave people access to other front-line services, and the one he named was health care. In any RTP survey of passengers, health care seems to be a top priority for people in rural areas. The bus coming to their door gives them the certainty to be able to make and keep a health care appointment.
Sam Smyth, the journalist, wrote that the RTP is probably the best value for money project ever initiated by central Government and the people who run it are unsung heroes, that those who have seen the work they do providing a lifeline to older people who live in remote areas inaccessible to public transport can only gasp in admiration and gratitude.
Those are the big boys. On what the people on the ground have to say, for example, one lady stated in a passenger survey that thanks to the rural bus service she can get the main bus to Limerick to visit family. What this passenger referred to as a main bus was a Bus Éireann service from Portlaoise to Limerick. No one suggested to that lady that if she wanted to visit somebody in Limerick she could make the connection. What she saw was that she had a bus coming to her door on Tuesday, her family lives in Limerick and there is a Bus Éireann bus leaving Portlaoise on the hour for Limerick. She herself made the connection and headed in to Portlaoise on the rural transport service. Some 20 minutes later she was on the Bus Éireann service to Cork where she stayed for a number of days. She returned to Portlaoise on the Bus Éireann service on the Friday and then travelled home on the rural transport service. The reason I know this is I am the manager in County Laois and the story came up in our passenger survey. Another passenger stated, "I go on the bus on Fridays. At least Friday is one day of the week that I don't have to eat alone." I do not believe I need comment further on that observation because it speaks for itself.
The Rural Transport Network has a short-term goal which is to secure current levels of funding for the RTP into 2010 and beyond. The medium to long-term goal is to explore and develop the many ways in which the RTP can add value to other front-line public services.