Issue - meetings

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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6