| Young people who live in rural areas of Gloucestershire and want to take up further education can face a vicious cycle of poor transport links and having little money to do anything about it. Now Gloucestershire Rural Community Council have teamed up with the Gloucestershire Education Transport Partnership to launch the new Jump 2 Ed scheme which aims to provide transport solutions for students who want to enter full-time education at Stroud, Forest of Dean or Hartpury college. In a nutshell Basically the scheme is designed to enable young people who want to further their job prospects to travel to a place of study. For some young people, poor transport links to and from a college can be a serious barrier to taking up further education and getting ahead in life. The partnership are initially offering ten mopeds to students who would find it very difficult to attend college from their homes in remote rural areas or areas that have poor transport links. The partnership will also provide funding to cover basic training in the use of the moped, safety equipment and the cost of insurance. Positive effect It's believed that giving young people from rural areas easier access to education will have a positive knock-on effect on the local economy through a more highly skilled rural workforce. Gloucestershire Rural Community Council Assistant Director Lesley Archer said: "It is hoped that through this new provision young people will be able to attend a college of their choice and gain a recognised qualification." If you live in rural Gloucestershire and you want to study at either Stroud, Forest of Dean or Hartpury college but can't because the transport links in your area aren't up to much, then this could be for you! For more information or to find out if you qualify for the scheme call 01594 542894. Your comments:  Perhaps it would be more practical to have a widespread effect at tackling rural transport problems. Like reducing the cost of transport.
Since EMA has been introduced, bus fares to my college have increase dramatically. A fact my college has overlooked. I am a Royal Forest of Dean College student and when I started at the College 2 years ago my Bus Fare was only £1.80 return from Bream to the college (a journey of 5 or so miles). Now it is £2.50 return. Costing 12.50 a week, at least £57.50 a month. A further hindrance is that in order to keep up with my work I try to stay in college until 7pm, in the library which is open until 7 most evenings. However I have no provision to get home, relying on 'lifts' from others because it is to expensive to pay the combined college and public bus service charge of up to £5.65 a day! Congratulations to those 10 who get mopeds but what about the rest of us?
Many students find it difficult to get to college and 10 'token' mopeds are not going to address this problem. 
Rhian Llewellyn................................................ If you would like to add a comment then you can email us at: [email protected] | 
Gloucestershire Rural Community Council is offering young people between the ages of 16 and 19 the loan of a brand new 50cc moped...
