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Community transport and Shopmobility

Some areas have community transport services for people who have difficulty using public transport. Shopmobility schemes operate across Northern Ireland.

Transport programme

You can get general information about the Department for Regional Development (DRD)Transport Programme for People with Disabilities from the DRD website.

Community transport services

Rural Community Transport

The Department for Regional Development currently provides funding through the Rural Transport Fund to 14 Rural Community Transport Partnerships across Northern Ireland which enables people living in rural areas to gain access to local services through the Dial-a-Lift Scheme.

In order to use the rural services a person must: become a member of their local Community Transport organisation and meet the following criteria:

  • an individual must live in a rural area, that is an area not covered by the Urban Door to Door Scheme and;
  • have difficulty accessing everyday services due to a lack of transport

Dial-a-Lift can be used for a variety of purposes including:

  • shopping
  • local doctors / health centres / local hospital appointments
  • Post Office
  • visiting family and friends
  • accessing training and employment

Dial-a-Lift cannot be used for:

  • hospital inpatient appointments or
  • home to school transport

For further information about membership and services

  • phone 0845 650 1190 (from a landline) - this will connect you to the nearest Rural Community Transport Partnership.

Alternatively, more detail about the Dial-a-Lift Scheme and a full list of Rural Community Partnerships can be viewed at the Community Transport Northern Ireland web-site

Group transport

The Department for Regional Development supports the availability of accessible minibuses to enable groups with disabled members to get around in Belfast (operated by Disability Action Transport) and Londonderry (operated by Bridge Accessible Transport).

Shopmobility

Shopmobility schemes hire out or lend manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and powered scooters to anyone who needs help with mobility to get around. Shopmobility centres are usually located in a town centre or shopping centre, enabling people to go shopping and to visit leisure and commercial facilities.

To see where Shopmobility operates in Northern Ireland you can contact Shopmobility Belfast by phone or by visiting its website:

More useful links