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Councillors’ two-hour bus journey to the Grange

News | Rhiannon James - Local Democracy Reporting Service | Published: 18:01, Tuesday July 26th, 2022.
Last updated: 18:01, Tuesday July 26th, 2022

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Two Plaid Cymru councillors have described themselves as “intrepid explorers” as they navigated public transport to reach the Grange University Hospital.

Cllr Charlotte Bishop, the Plaid Cymru deputy group leader on Caerphilly County Borough Council, and Penyrheol councillor Steve Skivens put bus services to the test after receiving a number of complaints from residents.

It took the councillors a total of two hours and ten minutes to reach the Grange from Abertridwr.

Aber Valley councillor Bishop said: “It’s taken two different bus companies, £9.10, and a long time – it’s a massive chore.”

In a video, the councillors can be seen making a change at Caerphilly bus station, then at Newport bus station, then arriving in Cwmbran where the hospital is located.

Cllr Skivens said he undertook the 20-mile (32km) journey to see for himself the difficulties people had travelling to the hospital.

He added that there are three methods of reaching the hospital from Abertridwr – by taxi, private car or bus.

The councillor said: “The £40 taxi fare is beyond the reach of many on low incomes. Again, access to a private vehicle is reducing in some areas due to environmental or financial circumstances. So, we are left with one real choice to use the public transport system and use the bus services.”

The Grange Hospital, Cwmbran
The Grange Hospital, Cwmbran

In August 2021, the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board confirmed that it had no plans to create a direct route between the hospital and Caerphilly County Borough.

The 470-bed hospital houses the main Accident and Emergency department for the county borough and the wider Gwent area.

The health board has previously said most people are taken to the Grange in an ambulance because the hospital treats seriously ill patients and those with significant injuries.

Caerphilly Senedd Member Hefin David has previously spoken out about the importance of a public transport link to the hospital, as has Blackwood Independent councillor Kevin Etheridge.

In May this year, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced a direct service to the Grange from Blackwood and Newbridge which was due to be launched this month. However the trial six-month service has yet to be launched, according to the Stagecoach website.


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Parish Trust shuttle bus to end

The Parish Trust, based out of St Thomas’ Church in Trethomas, currently runs a mini bus service that takes residents of Caerphilly, Bedwas, Trethomas, and Machen to both the Royal Gwent Hospital and the Grange.

But, due to a lack of usage The Parish Trust has said this could end next month.

Rev Dean Aaron Roberts, the Chair of Trustees, said £13,000 of funding was secured to run the service following a public consultation which showed a “strong desire” for it.

Rev Roberts added: “Sadly, the numbers of people that have used the service are very disappointing, as we were hoping that we as a charity would see full cost recovery and run the service on a breakeven basis. Added to that, the cost of living crisis has meant that our actual costs have been greater than the grant funding that we received.

“As a result, this has caused us to review the shuttle bus and we have made the decision to run it for one more month before we make a final decision about pulling the service from our offering as a charity. We would be sad to do this, but as an organisation, we must be careful to ensure our energy and resources are going to projects that are meeting need, and are tangibly making a difference in people’s lives.”

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