Coalfield Community Transport in Cumnock has been awarded £160,000 to purchase an electric minibus.

The group received the cash from SP Energy Networks' Green Economy Fund to support the decarbonisation of transport and provide transport for vulnerable people, including the elderly and disabled people, in Cumnock and across rural East Ayrshire.

Frank Mitchell, Chief Executive of SP Energy Networks, said: “At SP Energy Networks, we share the Scottish Government’s vision of making a cleaner, greener Scotland by accelerating our green economy in order to deliver a better future quicker for our communities.

“We believe in supporting our communities by investing directly in projects that deliver low carbon solutions and also create the economic benefits locally that can come from driving to zero carbon. We are delighted to support the work of a great project in Cumnock."

Mike Thornton, Group Director of Operations at Energy Saving Trust, the administrator for the Green Economy Fund, said: “This latest announcement shows how the Green Economy Fund continues to provide valuable funding to projects that will have a lasting and sustainable impact on Scotland’s green economy. We’re really looking forward to supporting fund recipients to deliver their projects.”

To find out more about the Green Economy Fund and the projects it supports, please visit: www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/green_economy_fund.aspx