Vital community transport service must be maintained - Lockhart

Down Armagh Rural Transport is a registered charity and social enterprise which has been providing safe, affordable and accessible transport for groups and individuals across local communities for over 20 years.

Operating a fleet of 10 accessible minibus vehicles, DART covers urban centres such as Banbridge, Craigavon, Dromore, Lurgan, Portadown and the surrounding rural areas.

​Speaking after the meeting, Ms Lockhart said: “DART provide an essential service to many people locally, particularly those who have no other means of getting around.

“This can be the case for residents in rural areas who have to get to the doctor, pick up a prescription or get the weekly shopping and have no access to a vehicle.

“The Department for Infrastructure have said the funding for this service in the next financial year is uncertain.

“Only April is being promised and, beyond that, nothing is guaranteed.

“That is not good enough, with a cloud of doubt hanging over this essential community service.”

Ms Lockhart continued: “I am calling on the department to step up to provide the necessary finance moving forward to ensure this community transport is maintained moving forward.

“We need certainty, not just for DART, but also for service users to depend on this service to get from A to B.”