A TOWN in South Ayrshire has become home to the first community mobility hub in the UK to gain official recognition.

The Carrick Centre in Maybole has been accredited by Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) for its Community Green Transport Hub.

The hub makes it easier for people to take sustainable journeys by offering a range of services including e-bike hire, electric vehicle chargers and a community minibus service.

The facility is located beside Maybole railway station and close to a National Cycle Network route, and is also served by local bus services.

Mobility hubs bring together a range of transport options and community services in a single, attractive place, making it easier for people to travel without using private cars.

(Image: Contributed) The concept is already widely applied in many European and North American cities and is increasingly growing in popularity in the UK.

The new hub is a collaboration between the Carrick Centre and South Ayrshire Community Transport (SACT), a charity working to enhance social inclusion by making travel in the region easier.

As well as the new transport hub, it has a public café, a soft play for children, a food bank and pantry, and also offers a range of community activities and classes.

The two organisations worked towards improving signage, surveying local residents on how local transport could be improved, and making it easier for people to hire e-bikes.

Marguerite Hunter Blair, chair of the Carrick Centre, said: “Everyone at the Carrick Centre is thrilled to hear that we have been recognised and accredited by CoMoUK as the first community mobility hub in the UK.

(Image: Contributed) "The Carrick Centre in partnership with South Ayrshire Community Transport has worked hard to create this fantastic service for local people and visitors.

“Our Green Transport Hub was set up to tackle service access issues, increase active travel and encourage tourism and visitor numbers to North Carrick.

“Access to services is a big issue for over half of the population of North Carrick and this contributes to high levels of social isolation and loneliness.

"The Green Transport Hub is part of the solution to these problems and will also help to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality."