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A direct bus service to the Grange Hospital could be running by early next year, according to Caerphilly Senedd Member Hefin David and First Minister Mark Drakeford.
The £350m hospital opened in Cwmbran last year, but Caerphilly County Borough residents travelling by service bus have to go via Newport.
At a full meeting of Caerphilly County Borough Council on November 17, the authority’s deputy leader, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, responding to a question by Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge, confirmed that discussions were ongoing to introduce a bus route through Nelson, Ystrad Mynach, Blackwood, Pontllanfraith, Newbridge and Crumlin.
Senedd Member Mr David has now said the service could be operational by early 2022.
He said: “Since it’s opening last year, I have been contacted by numerous constituents with concerns about a lack of public transport to the Grange Hospital. My office secured a meeting which triggered very constructive ongoing talks
with Transport for Wales, Caerphilly Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure – Jamie Pritchard, the Health
Board and Stagecoach.
“Although there are still some practical things to be finalised surrounding the service, I’m pleased that Transport for
Wales have confirmed that they expect the service to be up and running in the early part of the new year, which
I’m sure will be some comfort to many of my constituents.”
First Minister Mark Drakeford also confirmed the introduction of the service in the Senedd on November 23.
The 470-bed hospital, located in Cwmbran, houses the main Accident and Emergency department for the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area, which includes Caerphilly County Borough.
The health board has previously said most patients are taken to the Grange in an ambulance because the hospital treats seriously ill patients and those with significant injuries.
This seems to ignore the fact that patients need to have visitors and those who have out-patient appointments.
What about the Caerphilly basin area?
At the moment there isn’t anything on the horizon for a direct link from the Caerphilly town area. The only option is for people to continue to get a bus to Newport and then change for a route to the Grange – as is the current case for the rest of the county borough.
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‘Transport to Health’ service to launch next month
In July this year, the health board launched its “Transport to Health” project – a partnership with the voluntary sector which offered grant funding to provide transport to hospitals.
The Parish Trust, based out of St Thomas’ Church in Trethomas, managed to secure £10,000 to launch a minibus service to take residents of Caerphilly, Bedwas, Trethomas, and Machen to both the Royal Gwent Hospital and the Grange.
The scheme, which launches in December will run as a pilot for six months with an aim for it to become self-sustainable.
Throughout the pilot scheme, passengers will be required to pre-book their place. The cost will be a flat fee of £3.75 – regardless of whether it’s a single or return trip.
The bus will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays making multiple round trips between 8.30am and 4.30pm.
For more information about the Parish Trust’s service visit theparishtrust.org.uk/bus