Local Community Transport Organisations join forces for a stronger future

FAST Rural Transport, Irvinestown and Rural Lift for South West Fermanagh have now become Fermanagh Community Transport.

Fermanagh Community Transport’s aim is to ensure that people in Fermanagh have access to places and services in an affordable way and in response to local needs.  FCT’s Chairman Richard Buchanan said “getting people out and about remains our key priority and we believe that this increases independence, improves quality of life and gives people equal access to essential services”.

Members of FCT can travel to access everyday services include doctors, hospital and health centre appointments, pharmacy, hairdressers, post office or going to church. You can also use the service to access training or recreational opportunities or even just to visit friends or family.

Membership of Fermanagh Community Transport is open to anyone who has little or no access to public transport, limited mobility or no access to a car. Members of FAST and Rural Lift previously automatically transfer into the new Company and should experience no disruption to their services. In fact the merger should improve availability of services due to the reduction in administration costs and the availability of vehicles and volunteers from one central operation centre. 

The new organisation's Manager, Anita Flanagan, said “the move will ensure better capabilities to deliver services across the whole of Fermanagh in a consistent way at an efficient cost to the Department for Regional Development.  Services will continue to be funded by the Department for Regional Development through the Rural Transport Fund.

The DRD are fully aware of our merger and are actively encouraging and supporting us through this process. Everyone within FCT will continue to work closely with DRD and other funders to ensure we maintain the high levels of service and care for our members”

FCT will endeavour to keep all our stakeholders up to date on any new developments and welcome any suggestions from the community on how we can improve or develop services.