The North Tamar Community Transport Association (NTCTA) has been awarded £311,176 lottery funding to run its Ring and Ride service over the next five years.

After an application submitted in 2008 was turned down, a fresh more recent application on a fast track basis, has been successful.

The £311,176 includes £50,000 capital towards the cost of buying a 14 seater coach equipped to take wheelchairs to expand the service. Even so the NTCTA will need another £292,452 to run the service for the next five years.

Martin Prentice, treasurer of the NTCTA explained: "A coach will cost £62,500 so there is a shortfall of £12,500. The remaining £261,176 accounts for only 47 per cent of the required budget. Most of this will come from school and Day Centre contracts but further grants will be needed to make up the shortfall.

"At present the distance our bus can drive is limited because it is needed for school transport. We have been grateful for grants from Torridge District Council (TDC) and Devon County Council though the latter charges us more to rent a bus that it gives us.

"This new funding will enable us to own a bus which will be available for the whole day. As now it will be available for community groups and we will try to arrange some evening and weekend outings."