Transport scheme gets more County Durham jobseekers on road to employment

Wheels2Work County Durham offers personal transport to people across the county who find it difficult to get to, or sustain, employment, volunteering or further education opportunities because of a lack of available transport options.

Wheels2Work County Durham provides affordable personal transport options for individuals struggling to access employment, volunteering, or further education due to limited transportation.

Since 2017, the charity has supported over 500 people in retaining or securing employment by offering low-cost rentals of 125cc scooters for up to 12 months.

With demand for their services rising, the Chester-le-Street-based charity aimed to expand its scooter fleet to meet the needs of people across the county.

Thanks to a £3,200 grant from the Banks Group, Wheels2Work was able to take advantage of a bulk purchase opportunity from Ace Motorcycle Training, acquiring scooters at a reduced cost. The grant has already facilitated the delivery of 11 new scooters, with six more on the way.

Renters sign a contract at the start of their rental period, setting out their responsibilities for using and looking after their scooter, and also undertake training with Ace Motorcycle Training to confirm they’re able to ride it competently and safely.

Alongside its fleet of scooters, Wheels2Work County Durham also runs an equivalent bicycle scheme which has provided more than 180 people with a bicycle and the equipment they need to go with it to meet their individual transport needs.

Liam Weatherill, project manager at Wheels2Work County Durham, said: “Transport issues can prove a real barrier to employment for people who might be working on an early or late shift, or who live in communities outside our bigger towns and cities.

“If you can’t get to work on time or can’t get home when your working day is done, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to keep a job, no matter how much you want to.

“The Banks Group’s generous support has enabled us to bring in more scooters than would otherwise have been possible and to still have money in the bank to cover other project costs, which is a real win/win for us and our riders.”

Lucy Hinds, executive assistant at the Banks Group, said: “Wheels2Work County Durham provides a simple solution to a big problem for many people living across our home county.

“The effectiveness of their approach is clear to see and we’re very pleased to be helping them make even more of a positive impact for local people who want to get into work.”

Anyone from a community close to a Banks Group project who is interested in applying for funding from the Banks Community Fund should first contact the fund manager via fundmanager@bankscommunityfund.org.uk or on 0191 378 6342 before applying for a grant to check if their group or project is eligible.