The MATISSE project identified a range of transport awareness measures which, as a cocktail, customised to local needs can assist in reducing exclusion.

ECLIPSE has identified good practice examples where these measures have been successfully introduced and a selection of these are summarised below:

• Transport Matters - Dunstable (UK)
• Bus buddying - Leeds (UK)
• Mobile Travel Centre - Strathclyde (UK)

Transport Matters - Dunstable (UK)

‘Transport Matters' provides information and guidance on all aspects of transport and travel for those who may be disabled. It offers a range of services to those who live in Luton and Bedfordshire, their relatives and / or carers.  These services include practical information on local and national / international travel, including answers to many of the everyday questions such as parking, accessibility, availability of assistance and the provision of disabled toilets.

The aims of the project are to increase independence and therefore to improve quality of life for the client population through the provision of relevant, accurate and up to date information. This is supported by the active role taken in promoting and providing improved and extended accessible transport services.

It is estimated that around 2,000 individual enquiries were handled during 2004-5 and that an Outreach Programme contacted in excess of 500 people directly and many more indirectly as a result. In the period June to November 2004, there were a total of around 770 enquiries of various types to the Transport Matters project. These included direct telephone enquiries, website enquiries, outreach event enquiries, open day and theme day enquires etc.

Bus buddying - Leeds (UK)

The scheme is open to older people, learning disabled people, people with physical and sensory impairments, mental health service users and people with long-term illness. It provides one-to-one support to give people from excluded groups the understanding and confidence they need to use transport in and around the Leeds area.

The objectives of the study were to:

•  Develop a new, ground-breaking concept

•  Encourage individuals to become independent travellers in deprived urban areas of Leeds

•  Secure funding to sustain the service and expand in other areas when Urban Bus Challenge funding finishes

•  Recruit staff with a broad range of abilities and provide training on disability, individuality and diversity issues

•  Ensure results provide value for money.

The local operators' fully accessible services are used more frequently since the introduction of the buddying scheme and promotion of the scheme. It is believed that the newly independent travellers would not have travelled on public transport prior to the training.

Mobile Travel Centre - Strathclyde (UK)

The Mobile Travel Centre (MTC) is a fully accessible vehicle that visits locations in rural areas where there is reasonable foot traffic, but not sufficient justification for the provision of a permanent travel centre. It is claimed to be the only one of its kind in Scotland and the role of the MTC is to promote public transport and to provide people in rural areas within Strathclyde with information on local rail and bus services, express and long distance coach services (including travel to Europe), day tours, short stay breaks, and local ferry services.

The MTC has become established within the communities it serves and has a regular clientele. It visits 35 locations in a typical five-week period. In 2003/2004 12,567 customers had used the service.

For more information on the above, please select the 'Deliverables' icon on the top left hand side of this page and download Deliverable 3.