Ken Skates announces £2.8m local transport network funding to help boost bus travel

Flintshire, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and Torfaen will all see funding through this year’s Local Transport Network Fund, Economy Secretary Ken Skates has announced today.

 

This year’s funding primarily focuses on improving bus reliability and reducing journey times by improving accessibility, congestion and integration between modes of transport. 

 

Economy and Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates said: 

 

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support these schemes, which will see improvements to bus journeys on strategic Welsh Government and local authority routes across Wales. 

 

“Today’s announcement includes funding for a range of proposed interventions including bus priority measures, junction improvements and technical based solutions to further support the bus industry and widen the appeal of buses as an attractive, reliable mode of transport.

 

“I look forward to seeing these projects underway at the earliest possible opportunity, with communities able to soon feel the benefits of the improvements.”

 

The projects which will receive 2017-18 Local Transport Network Fund:

 

 

The funds will be made available immediately to the local authorities.

 

Notes

 

Full details on the projects are as follows:

 

Flintshire –Developments for Passenger Growth B5129 Strategic Bus Corridor- £100,000

 

Improvements in transport infrastructure to assist bus movements along the B5129 strategic corridor west of Connah’s Quay and development of the Deeside Quality Partnership Scheme & associated legal framework.

 

The aims of the scheme are to facilitate an increase in the modal share of the bus along this corridor and improve the overall image of bus services to grow bus patronage; increase mobility and reduce barriers to bus use to make public transport use easier and more attractive; reduce delays and help improve journey reliability; improve bus infrastructure in order to accommodate more bus services/higher frequencies in the future and achieve better environmental conditions and improve pedestrian and cycling amenities.

 

The scheme will accord with the wider aspirations of the Metro will promote inter-modality, help connect communities and enable access to employment, education and key services along the B5129 strategic corridor west of Shotton Railway Station.  

 

Neath Port Talbot - NPT Integrated Transport Package - £617,000

 

The scheme comprises;

 

The enhancements are along the existing main bus routes between Neath and Pontardawe. The current bus priority route from Neath to Swansea and Port Talbot to Swansea has been previously part funded through the Local Transport Fund.

 

The existing Port Talbot bus station is out-dated, congested, uninviting and has awkward access.  There is a need to re-vamp and modernise the existing bus station in a way that complements the facilities at the Transport Hub.  The scheme will undertake design to tender stage and to submit a planning application to allow the scheme to be taken forward for future construction.

 

The works will address an ongoing issue of congestion on the strategic bus corridor at the junction of Water Street/ Corporation Road, Port Talbot. The works will provide a right turn lane on Water Street to allow traffic wanting to turn into Corporation Road to queue without causing delays to traffic on Water Street.

 

The proposals will build on the improvements already completed on the strategic priority routes identified in the Local Transport Plan.

 

The overall aim of the scheme is to improve the quality, speed and patronage of the bus journeys.

 

 

Powys - TrawsCymru Corridor Passenger Enhancements through improved Accessibility - £425,000

 

This scheme aims to improve accessibility to services within Powys and across borders into neighbouring counties through a range of local bus service interventions where they will enhance strategically important bus corridors through investment in passenger waiting and information infrastructure.  

 

Part A is the continuation of the enhancement to the passenger waiting infrastructure along the T6 (Brecon to Swansea) bus corridor and Part B is the introduction of ‘Smart Passenger Information’ at key transport interchanges, and then rolling it out across further across the T4 & T6 corridors. 

 

Through this investment, Powys are seeking to introduce a ‘step change’ in the way that passengers view public transport and introduce a consistent quality standard across the network where passengers feel reassured about the quality of the bus they are waiting for, the waiting infrastructure they are stood in and the quality of the passenger information they are reading.  

 

 

Rhondda Cynon Taf - A4119 & A4059 Bus Corridor Improvements - £600,000

 

Investment in this Strategic Bus Corridor Improvement Scheme will focus on improving access to the local bus network, enhancing the passenger waiting environment and improving bus service reliability. This will involve upgrading 92 bus stops to DDA compliant standards, together with the renewal of shelters. 

 

This approach is supported by the bus operator, who views the scheme as strengthening its business case to further invest in higher quality vehicles and more frequent services.

 

By taking both a partnership approach with the bus operator and a proactive approach towards tackling the issues that impact on bus services along the A4119 corridor, this Improvement Scheme will help create the 'right conditions' for providing a long term sustainable transport service for all residents.  

 

RCT is also committed to improving the reliability of journeys on the A4059 strategic corridor.  The Council has developed a two - phase scheme of 'Making Better Use' improvement works to increase capacity on the A4059 in the Cwmbach area (see plans attached).

 

Phase 1 involves the creation of an additional lane on the northbound and southbound approaches to the A4059 / Canal Road roundabout to increase capacity and improve traffic flows.  Single lane traffic queuing at this pinch point causes delay for all road users, including a number of local bus services between Aberdare, Perthcelyn and Ysbyty Cwm Cynon in Mountain Ash. 

 

Phase 2 will see the implementation of holding lanes south of the A4059 / Canal Road roundabout so that traffic turning right into a petrol station do not impede through flows. This element of the scheme will also reduce the risk of collisions in this location.

 

 

Swansea – Strategic Bus Corridors & Public Transport Hubs - £1,000,000

 

The scheme will deliver a series of enhancements to improve highway network efficiency for areas that are often congested by peak hour traffic. These measures will serve to improve journey time reliability for bus public transport journeys and support the bus hubs concept.  

 

The hubs will promote improved integration between modes, and signifies the first steps in drawing together a network of transport options to begin formulating and realising an integrated transport system for Swansea and South West Wales.

 

The scheme will deliver improvements to satellite bus interchanges, to relieve pressure on the Swansea City Bus Station as the bus network expands and demand increases, reduce journey times and strengthen interchange of services across the network; ease of transfer on the public transport network will be key to its success. 

 

The bus corridors benefiting from this funding will be of particular importance in the context of City Centre redevelopment scheduled to begin in 2018 and the population and development growth set out in the emerging Local Development Plan.

 

 

Torfaen – Union Street / Broad Street, Abersychan - £15,500

 

An improvement to the Union Street/Broad junction in order to improve and speed up vehicular movements through the junction and therefore improve bus movements. 

 

The improvement will deliver reduced journey times and increase the reliability of journey times.  The proposal is a junction improvement, with enhanced pedestrian facilities, upgraded bus stops and dedicated left turn lanes. The X24/other bus services (up to 16 per hour) linking Varteg/Garndiffaith to Pontypool, currently operates through the junction.

 

The aim of the project will be to develop a scheme to create an improved public transport experience with reduced journey times and reliable, high quality vehicle capability for Business accessibility to employment and commercial growth. 

 

The new junction will: