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Transport Survey...Summary |
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Community
Transport in
the upper Rhondda Fawr - a study for Abergorci Community Hall Meurig
Parri 1.
Summary
1.1.
The project was instigated and led by Abergorci Community Hall,
Treorci, in response
to a community study carried out over the winter of 2002/03 which
showed that transport difficulties were a considerable limiting
factor to the quality of life for many residents of the area.
1.2.
The original aim of the first stage of the project was to research
and report on the detailed feasibility of a practical Community
Transport (CT1)
Scheme or Schemes for the upper Rhondda Fawr area2,
which – by careful integration with public and other
transport facilities existing or proposed – will ensure that
safe, reliable, accessible and affordable transport is available
to all.
1.3.
However during the course of the project the priorities of
Abergorci Hall changed. Also the Local Authority decided to carry
out a project with a somewhat similar brief, but which would
include all the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough, including the
upper Rhondda Fawr. Therefore the decision was taken to curtail
the work, and to use information and research collected to date
for a report which would feed the larger Local Authority project.
This change occurred when roughly 60% of the research originally
envisaged was complete.
1.4.
The principal conclusions of the project are that:
1.4.1.
Considerable transport problems affect the communities of the
upper Rhondda Fawr, principally the elderly. These problems tend
to be worse to the north of the area, and the sector of need
displaying most deficiencies is travel to non-emergency health
facilities.
1.4.2. Some of these problems can be reduced or solved by fairly simple,
and relatively cheap, measures relating to existing transport
services. Existing public and community transport resources could
deal with some of the unmet need. 1.4.3. Some extra CT resources are justified in the area, and would help to meet RCT CB Council and WAG policy objectives. These are described in the Detailed Recommendations (Section 5), and summarised in the Outline Recommendations (Section 2).
1.4.4.
An adequate potential customer base exists to support the extra CT
resources recommended. Also, encouraging interest was shown in
becoming volunteer drivers for CT schemes. However very few
individuals or groups were found who expressed a willingness to be
involved in starting and running these schemes.
1.4.5. Concerns were frequently expressed that any CT proposals
implemented should not take passengers from the public bus
service, or damage the viability of taxi and vehicle hire
companies. Also, a strong tradition exists of community self-help,
and some were concerned that CT might weaken the informal pattern
of giving lifts and car sharing which goes on daily in many parts
of the area.
1.5.
Few surprises were discovered in the study. The characteristics of
the area are similar from a transport perspective to those
perceived to exist in other parts of RCT County Borough, and in
other parts of the South Wales valleys. Therefore many of the
recommendations may be of interest to the contractor who carries
out the Borough-wide CT study as having relevance to the entire
area.
1.6.
Very many thanks are owed to a lot of people and organisations who
assisted with this study. To name all whose whose kindness and
helpfulness enabled the work to go so well would double the length
of this report. Suffice it to say that the legendary reputation of
the Rhondda Fawr as a community with a warm heart and a ready wit
has been enhanced. *
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