Agenda item

The report of the Service Manager Business & Regeneration was submitted consideration.

The Service Manager Business & Regeneration presented the report which sought endorsement and nominations to form a ‘Transport Strategy and Review’ Task and Finish Group. 

He said transport needed to evolve to meet new challenges and adapt to changing demands, and in order to address these issues, a Strategy and Review was currently being procured to identify a programme of work that would provide a strategic vision and plan for transport within Blaenau Gwent.  Given the breadth of issues which need to be looked at as part of the Review and Strategy, there was a clear need for Member representation to support the work and oversee its development and implementation via a Task and Finish Group.

A Member asked what arrangements had been put in place to provide public transport to the new Grange Hospital.

The Officer said in terms of transport available there was already an existing transport route to the Grange and working closely with colleagues in Health Board to identify a specific need and demand.  Those discussions ongoing to make sure adequate provision to allow people to access the hospital.

The Member said this needed to be monitored, and said the public transport system had been decimated as a result of the pandemic.

The Officer said the pandemic had had a significant impact on the commercial viability of a number of routes.  Part of the IRT pilot project was to identify and plug those gaps in services, in particular looking at areas that are particularly isolated and linking those areas into the network both in terms of bus and rail.

Councillor J.C. Morgan said he would like to sit on the Task and Finish, and said it was important for all areas of the Borough to be represented.  In relation to comments regarding transport to the new Grange Hospital, he said this should be considered as part of the work of the IRT, and should also be an area for consideration by the Task and Finish Group.

In response the Officer said the IRT was a flexible service, and we need to be mindful that it was a pilot project, the idea of which was to act as a service where there were gaps and to link them into the core provision.  He said it would evolve as a project, but it was important that dialogue continued with existing operators.

The Member said he understood it was a pilot project, but it was also an opportunity to ensure adequate service provision to the new Grange Hospital and also Nevill Hall, as these Hospitals were very important to Blaenau Gwent, and should be included as part of the work of the Task and Finish Group.

A Member referred to the proposed frequency of meetings of the Group, and said quarterly meetings was not sufficient.  He also said the public should be informed that a Group had been established to look at public transport as this was a major concern within the community.

The Officer said he would be guided by Members as to the frequency of meetings.

A Member referred to section 2.3 of the report and asked whether there would be any support available for taxis in the move towards the use of ultra low emission vehicles, like the WG Emergency Bus Scheme.  He also asked why the Council had set aside £25k to undertake this work when it was a Welsh Government initiative.

In relation to taxis, the Officer confirmed that they were a key part of the development of a strategic and integrated transport service.  There were support programmes available through Welsh Government and he confirmed that the Business Innovation Manager and his Team was working with taxis to support, and continued to lobby WG for support for that sector.

In terms of funding as this was a County Borough wide study it was not eligible for funding through the Local Transport Fund.  He said the £25k allocated was an existing budget, and whilst the Regional Transport Policy was being developed there was a need for the Local Authority to look at what was needed in the area, to allow linkage on a more regional level.

The Team Manager Regeneration Opportunities confirmed work was being done to support taxis in the short term, but also the Capital Region had received funding to look at longer term support, particularly in the transition to low emission vehicles.

A Member said the Council should also maximise its opportunities through the South Wales Metro.  He said Blaenau Gwent was on the edge of the capital city region, but expressed concern regarding the links along the Valleys to the Industrial Estates, and said this should also be included within the scope of the work of the Task and Finish Group.

The Service Manager Business & Regeneration confirmed that the South Wales Metro was included in the bullets points at section 2.6 of the report, and said the purpose of the strategy was to look at various elements and bring those together in a cohesive document.  He confirmed that the works along the A465 would form part of the work of the Task and Finish Group and input from local Members would ensure coverage across the Borough.  He also pointed out that as part of the IRT, the Council was working closely with BID on the provision of services to the Rassau Industrial Estate to allow people to travel there.

A Member referred to the recent announcement from WG that the M4 relief road scheme was not going ahead, and the implications of that decision, and asked whether the proposals for the Ebbw Fawr Railway was still ongoing.

The Officer confirmed that a series of packages had been included within the WG Burns Commission to address issues arising from the M4 project not being progressed.  In terms of the Abertillery link, he confirmed that the Council was working closely with Transport for Wales to take that forward, and was currently in the process of commissioning work to identify the works needed to realise that as a key project.

The Corporate Director Regeneration & Community Services said this was a key piece of work in identifying the needs and priorities for transport within the County Borough, and also in terms of regional needs. 

A discussion ensued regarding membership of the Task and Finish Group.

It was proposed that membership of the Task and Finish Group be extended beyond the proposed 5 Members.

The proposal was agreed by the Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee AGREED to recommend, subject to the foregoing, that the report be accepted and a Task and Finish Group be established and the following Members be nominated to sit on the Group (Option 1):

Councillors J. Hill, G.A. Davies, M. Cook, H. McCarthy, P. Edwards, J.C. Morgan, W. Hodgins and J.P. Morgan