Down District & Ards Transport consists of Down District Accessible Transport (DDAT), a charity providing not-for-profit community transport for its members.
- Established in 1998 with the assistance of the Department for Regional Developments Rural Transport Fund, it’s aim and values being to reduce isolation for members living in rural areas, and enable them to gain access to every day services by providing safe, affordable, demand responsive and accessible transport – especially for the elderly and people with disabilities.
- In 2000 DDAT became a company limited by guarantee.
- In 2004 DDAT took the decision to trade under the name of Down Community Transport (DCT).
- In 2006 DCT expanded to include the rural areas of Castlereagh and Ards that border on Down District.
- In 2007 DCT formed a commercial trading arm, Down Town Transport Ltd (DTT), which operates under an international Road Transport Service Licence, and is available for private hire bookings for the public.
- In 2009 two other community transport providers with the same charitable aims and values as DDAT joined with DCT to enhance transport services for its members in Ards Peninsula and Newcastle/Castlewellan areas – these were:
- Peninsula Community Transport (PACT) based in Kirkubbin, and
- Accessible Community Travel Services (ACTS) based in Newcastle, County Down.
- DDAT area of benefit for its members now covers the rural areas of Ards, Castlereagh and Down District, with branch offices at: