A bold new initiative has been launched to boost transport in the Ongar and North Weald district.

EFFECT, which stands for Epping Forest Fast Efficient Community Transport, is designed to make a major contribution to improving life in rural areas.

The move follows today's publication of a report prepared by Community Transport Officer Julian Turner.

He said: "The scheme, run effectively and efficiently, will impact upon all aspects of the lives of the community, including health."

The £30,000 report follows a survey of local residents by Mr Turner, who works for Epping Forest Council for Voluntary Service.

It calls for Accessibility for All - a fleet of four large mini buses and 12 people carriers to operate a flexible, regular service especially in isolated rural areas.

Its other main recommendations are that there should be more vehicles and drivers, a door-to-door service, driver training, plus integration of schedules with existing public transport.

The report says a brokerage scheme should be set up, enabling existing minibus owners to use their vehicles for the community, and a car pool established.

Gas-fuelled vehicles will be used and the scheme will seek charitable and company status by April next year.

Mr Turner told the Ongar and North Weald Gazette that statutory and trust funding would be sought to pay for the mini buses and people carriers plus 14 mobile phones to aid co-ordination. This would cost £498,326.

Running costs, including fuel, salaries, training, maintenance and rent are estimated at £411,635, making a total for the year 2001-2 of £909,961.

He said that people with limited mobility would benefit from a door-to-door delivery and that all travellers should have access to a regular, flexible service to isolated rural parts.

Commuters and students would also be assisted and a scheduled service was planned for needy areas where existing public transport was not viable.

Mr Turner added: "The scheme will provide excellent value for money while guaranteeing to meet our community's needs, monitoring performance, reducing isolation and helping to develop a sense of community."

The survey looked in detail at the transport difficulties faced by Ongar and its surrounding villages and condemned the service as poor.

It highlighted the problem of children having to commute to school.

There was dissatisfaction with transport connections at North Weald, a problem likely to grow as more houses were built in the village.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.