Mid Beds Transport Scheme Going Countywide!
Members of the Youth Parliament with support from Mid Beds Youth Participation Officer, Katy Henman, have successfully secured a grant of £50,000 from the Youth Opportunities Fund. This money will be used to extend the Transport Token scheme across Bedfordshire, to help tackle rural isolation among some young people, and improve access to activities and youth engagement projects.
Mid Beds Youth Participation Officer, Katy Henman said: “The Mid Beds Transport Token Scheme has so far helped thousands of children and young people to get to organised activities across Mid Beds. I am delighted that the Mid Beds managed scheme will now be operating across the county to help all children and young people in Bedfordshire.”
Youth projects and organisations which offer youth engagement activities for 8 - 19yr olds living or going to school in Bedfordshire are invited to apply to join the scheme. All they need to do is to complete the Bedfordshire Transport Token application form, available on the Mid Beds website www.midbeds.gov.uk under Community Services – youth work, or call the Mid Beds Youth Participation Officer, Katy Henman on 01462 611008.
Once accepted, these projects and organisations will be provided with transport tokens purchased by Mid Beds District Council from the National Transport Agency to ensure the young people can get to / from the activity. Examples of eligible projects are:
· After school activities
· Youth action projects
· Sports activities and events
· Volunteering
· Music/drama projects
· Youth Service events and activities
· Supervised youth clubs/meetings
· Young people accessing services
· Environmental projects
· Scouts/Guides
The transport tokens, which look just like coins and are available in denominations up to £1, are used to pay local taxi firms (who have signed up to the scheme), Stagecoach buses and First Capital Connect trains. These transport firms then send the tokens to the National Transport Agency for reimbursement.
