Campaigners have secured a new £50,000 electric minibus for Tillydrone to reduce social isolation in the Aberdeen community.
The local community council has long held concerns about how residents who are unable to drive can access the rest of the city – likening the issue to being on an “island”.
Residents are only served by one bus connection, which serves Union Street, but does not go to other popular destinations including the beach.
What will Tillydrone Community Council use minibus for?
Tillydrone Community Council secured the £50,000 electric minibus with a grant from Nescan, which aims to support community-led climate action across the north-east.
The Peugeot vehicle can take up to eight passengers and there are already plans to put it to use to help residents.
Shopping trips to supermarkets are planned with hopes groups in Tillydrone will also be able to make use of it.
Eileen Grassick, chairwoman of Tillydrone Community Council, explained the minibus was needed to improve on the “shocking” connections to the rest of the city.
She said: “There are quite a few sheltered housing areas here and since Covid some of the residents have barely been outside the door – they’ve been shielding for so long they’ve lost that confidence.
“We want to be able to take them to the shops and whatnot and take young children on daytrips.
“It’s shocking there’s no bus to the beach. If you can’t drive it’s very difficult to get to. You have to either take two buses or walk, which is very difficult if you’re elderly or got young children.
“We are a bit like an island in the city. Lots of places are close by car, but if you can’t drive it’s very difficult.”
Public backing for minibus project
The Tillydrone Community Council minibus was funded by a grant from Nescan’s first year of the Just Transition Participatory Budget Fund, which is open to communities to vote on which projects are supported.
The Scottish Government has earmarked at least £1 million until the end of the current parliament for north-east groups to bid for up to £50,000.
Tillydrone Community Council was among 13 groups to get funding in the first phase, with Friends of Westfield Park, Aberdeen Science Centre, Greyhope Bay, Garthdee Field Allotment and Cornhill Community Association also securing funding.
Public voting for the next round of funding opens on September 29 for two weeks.
Alison Stuart, manager of Nescan Hub, said: “We are excited to see the benefits that the electric minibus brings to the local community and we hope that this will inspire other groups to apply for environmentally friendly and innovative projects in future rounds of the fund.”
Information about how to bid for funding is available HERE.
Conversation