National Lottery Grant award for OurBus Bartons:
In 2016, Oxfordshire County Council withdrew their grant/subsidy to Stagecoach, the subsequence of which was the removal of a scheduled bus service, and the consequential commitment to increased traffic as local residents still needed to get to work/school/shopping/doctors and leisure activities.
As a direct result local residents set up OurBus Bartons a completely volunteer-led scheduled community bus service (still the only one in Oxfordshire), and despite the ravaging of Covid, is still in good shape.
Last year, in conjunction with Middle Barton School, OurBus Bartons launched a campaign to fund an electric bus, to replace at least one of their ageing diesel vehicles. Earlier in April OurBus Bartons was notified by the National Lottery of an award of £175,000 which will be enough to replace both of their diesel buses and construct a charging station at their depot in their community.
OurBus Bartons are overjoyed that they will be able to continue to provide a service to those completely cut-off from a wider community in Oxfordshire, and now with a more sustainable solution.
CFO celebrates with OBB and The National Lottery for their commitment to improving the eco-rating of community minibuses. We hope this sets a trend for other community minibus schemes across the county. Well done to you all!
