Director for Wales Talks to BBC Breakfast

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CTA Director for Wales spoke to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Monday 21^st August alongside Aaron Hill, Wales Director for the Confederation for Passenger Transport (CPT), regarding the proposed changes to bus funding in Wales and the potential impact on passengers. Gemma has shared a little more about CTA Cymru’s focus in how we have been working alongside the Welsh Government, Transport for Wales, and local authorities in planning for the new ‘bus transition fund’ and thinking about plans for 2024 and beyond.

‘While we recognise that the Welsh Government is in a very challenging financial position, they have striven to invest in Wales’ public transport system to maintain services as much as possible through the pandemic and beyond. Unfortunately, we know there are still many people in Wales who aren’t able to access the mainstream public transport network, whether that’s because of a lack of services in their area, expensive fares, or barriers to accessing the vehicles themselves. There’s clearly a worry that commercial transport providers will prioritise routes that make the most money, meaning that even more people could be left behind.

‘Poor transport limits people’s life choices, making it harder to work, study, socialise, stay healthy and well, care for others, and connect with your community. Fundamentally, access to transport is a social justice issue, and it’s about so much more than just getting from A to B.

‘The Community Transport sector continues to go from strength to strength, with more than 500,000 journeys delivered in Wales last year by community-led, not for profit providers who currently receive less than 5% of the subsidy invested in the bus network as a whole. As the Welsh Government considers how to best use future funding, the CTA would like to see more sustainable investment in community-led transport, focusing on inclusive services that are designed in partnership with the communities who pay for them and need to use them. A more responsive, inclusive, and sustainable transport system will contribute to tackling transport poverty, loneliness and isolation, and the climate crisis, by getting people where they actually need to go and creating real and affordable alternatives to private car ownership. The Community Transport sector has decades of experience of delivering exactly this, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with colleagues in the Welsh Government and local authorities across Wales to ensure our future public transport network becomes an effective public service we can all rely on.’

For more information or to discuss further, please contact Gemma on gemma@ctauk.org.