Portsmouth City Council says it is pleased to announce the allocation of £73,758.60 in grants to 20 local community groups, charities, and businesses to provide bus tickets and public transport training to remove barriers to the bus for potential users. The city’s Easy Travel Access Fund will support initiatives aimed at improving access to public transport and encouraging greater bus use.
Each organisation has been awarded up to £5,000 to help overcome transport barriers and ensure equal access to public travel as part of the council’s wider efforts to create lasting change in how residents use public transport, and its aim to foster a more inclusive, sustainable, and accessible transport system.
The funded projects will support a range of initiatives, including workshops for individuals with visual impairments and programs designed to assist communities with mobility challenges, as well as providing funding to provide bus tickets for those who need it, and will help people navigate public transport with greater ease and confidence, reducing isolation and empowering individuals to become more independent, the council says.
Charity Open Sight has been granted funding to run a series of workshops for Portsmouth’s vision impaired community and their families to share information about the city’s bus network, provide guidance about applying for concessionary bus passes, and to build confidence in people living with sight loss, encouraging them to go out and use the bus.
Another of the community groups provided with funding is the Bangladesh Welfare Association, which will use the award to provide bus tickets, and support those in their community who might not have used the bus before to build confidence, as well as organising local community trips for groups to get out and enjoy the city by bus.
Councillor Peter Candlish, the city’s Cabinet Member for Transport, expressed the council’s commitment to making Portsmouth’s public transport more accessible, saying: “We are delighted to be able to support a range of local community groups, charities, and businesses with our Easy Travel Access Fund grants. This funding will play a crucial role in improving access to public transport, helping reduce isolation, and empowering individuals to use our bus services with confidence. Our aim is to create lasting change and encourage more sustainable travel choices in the city.”
Head of Services at Open Sight Ian Morris added: “I am thrilled that Open Sight has been awarded funding for this project by Portsmouth City Council. This funding will help us address the travel challenges faced by the vision-impaired community in Portsmouth. Through our workshops and tailored support, we aim to build confidence, reduce isolation, and empower individuals to navigate the city independently.”
