ABUHB Invests £50k in Gwent’s Transport to Health Initiative

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CTA is delighted to announce Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s (ABUHB) renewed commitment to the Transport to Health project delivered by CTA since 2021, demonstrated by an additional £50k investment to bolster Gwent’s community-led transport network.

Direct Support for Gwent’s Health Transport Providers

Groups and organisations providing health and wellbeing journeys across Gwent will directly benefit from this much-needed funding.  Community Transport providers can now continue and even expand the transport options that help people access their GPs, hospital appointments, outpatient check-ins, and wellbeing activities that promote health and community connection.

CTA Wales is hoping to also create opportunities to bring new accessible vehicles into the community transport fleet, growing the capacity for inclusive transport to health across Newport, Monmouthshire, Caerphilly, Torfaen, and Blaenau Gwent.

Milestones of the Transport to Health Project

To date, the Transport to Health project has supported ten hyper-local, community-led providers in helping more than 2000 passengers travel over 30,000 miles in the last two years — that’s the equivalent of traveling from Aneurin Bevan’s birthplace in Tredegar to his statue in Cardiff more than 1,115 times. CTA aims for this extra investment to enable operators to provide consistent support throughout Gwent, while collaborating with partners to build upon this service’s success.

Collaborative Efforts for a Future-Proof Transport System

“Sadly, there are still significant parts of Wales that lack accessible and inclusive transport options, leaving people isolated and unable to connect with vital support. This is only going to get worse as more and more bus routes are withdrawn or services cut, and we know this will have a detrimental impact on Welsh people’s health and wellbeing.” says Gemma Lelliott, CTA’s Director for Wales.

Lelliott adds that, “We are thrilled that the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and our partners Torfaen Voluntary Alliance (TVA), Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO), and Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) have committed to tackling these transport barriers, both by investing funding and by investing their time and expertise. We are looking forward to working with stakeholders across the region to coproduce a new project for 2024 and beyond, building on the successful foundation created here and working alongside residents to design and deliver a community-led, flexible, and sustainable network of transport provision that’s fit for the future.”

Contact Us for More Information

For more information on the project, contact CTA’s Project Coordinator Alison Owen on alison.owen@ctauk.org.