MINISTERIAL PRAISE FOR BWCABUS

Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt has visited Carmarthenshire to celebrate the success of the Bwcabus rural transport scheme.

The pilot project, run in partnership by Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion county councils, is a demand-responsive public transport system providing rural communities with access to employment, training, health and other essential services.

Bwcabus was established six years ago as a pilot scheme, with the aim of providing an effective solution for public transport in rural parts of Wales.

The pilot was funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Welsh Government, worth a total investment of £2.7m, and having achieved its aims, the Minister was invited to celebrate its success.

Finance Minister said: “Vital EU funds for Wales have helped us to make transformative public transport investments, making it easier for people to commute to access work and training opportunities.

“I am delighted that the innovative Bwcabus scheme has had a positive impact on the lives of many people in rural West Wales, and that the Welsh Government will continue to support this service into 2016.”

Bwcabus project manager, Kelly Phillips, said: “Both Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion county councils are grateful for the financial support provided by the EU and the Welsh Government in helping to deliver this innovative pilot project. Bwcabus has thrived over the last six years and its success has been has won several prestigious transport awards.”

Council Leader, Cllr Kevin Madge, added: “Bwcabus is more than just a mode of transport to get people from A to B.

“It has helped lift rural communities out of isolation and deprivation by giving people the opportunity to travel more freely and connect to locations where economic opportunities exist.”