The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded £7.6 million to a number of rural transport schemes as a result of the Total Transport Pilot Fund.

The money will be used to fund feasibility studies and pilot programmes to help create a joined-up system for the 37 winning bidders, who are based in isolated and rural areas.

Announcing the decision, the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Good transport is the lifeblood of local communities and we must ensure every penny spent is being used effectively. This is about improving access to the services people rely on most, from getting to school, to the shops or the local hospitals.”
The pilots will be able to run for up to two years, and the local authorities involved will be encouraged to share their findings with each other, as well as with the DfT, to ensure that as much benefit as possible can be obtained from the research.