Rural know-how • The Council for Small Industries in Rural
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Areas (CoSIRA) is providing professional business advice for small firms running, or planning to run, new public transport services in rural areas.
This is timed to coincide with bus deregulation under the Transport Act (1985) that takes effect on October 26. Advice can be offered on timetabling and fares, transitional rural bus grants, fuel duty rebate, obtaining an operator's licence, route registrations, tendering, vehicle selection, driver's hours and SO On.
CoSIRA can also help with basic business matters like book-keeping and cash flow.
The initial visit by CoSIRA to assess the situation will be free; thereafter advice is liable to be chargeable. For firms with up to five employees the fee is £30 per day; for firms with five to 10 employees £40 per day; larger firms are charged £50 a day.
To qualify for this advice, companies must be based in the country or in a town of less than 10,000 inhabitants. CoSIRA is an agent of the Government's Development Commission and its aim is to revitalise country areas by helping small rural firms to prosper.
For help with transport-related problems, contact CoSIRA's Rural Transport Officer at its Salisbury head office on 0722 336255.