To ask the Minister for Regional Development to detail the criteria used to decide the Door-2-Door Transport Scheme's operational area boundaries.

An independent review of the Transport Programme for People with Disabilities in 2003 recommended that door-to-door transport services should be introduced for people with disabilities living in urban areas throughout Northern Ireland. The services were to be used primarily by people who are unable to use conventional public transport and would fulfil the same function as conventional town bus services by enabling people to get to and from their home to local facilities and services.

Following consultation, the Department decided to introduce services in all urban areas with a population of 10,000 or more based on data obtained from the 2001 census.

Using the town/city boundary maps as a starting point, the Department consulted locally with people with disabilities, disability groups and other relevant bodies to agree the operational areas. To allow for possible future expansion of the town/cities and to address some local anomalies the operational boundaries were extended by a further mile.